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SunFest wraps up successful 4 days in downtown West Palm Beach

Music festival held for first time since pandemic
Posted at 11:16 AM, May 02, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-02 11:25:28-04

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Sunday marked the final night for SunFest in downtown West Palm Beach.

"I'm just excited that it's all back and the weather has been beautiful," West Palm Beach resident Michael Bass told WPTV.

Bass attended all four days of the downtown concert.

"It's just good to see people throughout the city again after the last couple of years of everything being so low-key," Bass said.

RELATED: Hialeah man accused of stealing iPhones at SunFest

Sunfest was expected to bring in more than 175,000 people to downtown West Palm Beach after two years off because of the pandemic.

West Palm Beach resident Michael Bass, SunFest concertgoer
Michael Bass talks about the excitement of attending SunFest following the pandemic.

"I'm gonna be coming [to the show] until I'm on my last breath," said concertgoer John Lessard.

He said he attended the very first SunFest in the 1980s and has never missed a show.

RELATED: Faces of SunFest 2022 - Sunday

"I'm gonna get emotional because I remember those days and they were great, always been a good SunFest. People would come from all over," Lessard said. "It's still kicking and it's still jamming, and I feel like a kid again every time I come."

Staff with SunFest said Sunday felt like SunFest before the pandemic with vendors like the Tropical Cafe welcoming back smiling faces, serving up their famous pineapple chicken rice.

Ishmael Winn with Tropical Cafe at SunFest, May 1, 2022
Ishmael Winn was among the vendors serving up tasty food at this year's SunFest.

"It feels good just to see people again having fun," Ishmael Winn with Tropical Cafe. "Everybody came to eat their favorite food."

The event wrapped up with the ceremonial fireworks show, marking the end of the 2022 season and shining the way for years to come.

"I probably might be 60 years old still out here serving me some food, haha," Winn said.

Staff is still crunching the numbers to compile the attendance for this year's SunFest, but they're hopeful for a good turnout and say they're already working on next year's festivities.