WINONA LAKE -- The Village Art Fair in Winona Lake enjoyed strong crowds this past weekend.

Nick Hauck, manager of The Village at Winona which hosted the event, said visitors showed up early Saturday even as temperatures pushed toward 90 degrees.

"Super crowded -- probably one of the best we've ever had, Hauck said.

The festival also encountered a brief but intense storm around 4 p.m. Saturday.

"We actually lost a vendor -- they lost their tent and some of their products so they had to bow out respectively today. That's the last thing you would ever want to see with the weather," Hauck said Sunday.

"We kind of had to pack up a little bit quickly to shut down with all the hail and crazy wind and torrential rain that we had for seven minutes -- and then it was blue skies again," Hauck said.

Otherwise, it was another strong festival.

Hauck said he thinks the nearby farmer's market at the Miller Sunset Pavilion Saturday morning helped boost traffic at the art festival.

On Saturday, it was crowded enough that finding parking took some patience. The festival provided a free shuttle for those willing to park in a parking lot up on the hill. Grace Village provided the shuffle.

Visitors had their choice of 69 artists' booths to choose from Saturday.

The weekend also marked the return of children's activities on Sunday, Hauk said.

[caption id="attachment_79277" align="aligncenter" width="846"] A large dog eyes something intresting Sunday at the Village Art Fair in Winona Lake. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_79278" align="aligncenter" width="846"] The art fair had 69 vendors on Saturday. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_79279" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Wally Brath and his band performed at the arts fair. The band had a tip jar, but also used a Q code for tips. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

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