riggs you had asked about attendance facts and figures- here they are- lower crowd/ bigger profits! it was absolutely comfortable this year. Not insanely overcrowded, generally a good natured crowd- nothin out of control. A far cry from the $1.25 beers and $6 admission fee and the riff-raff that went along with it!

Summerfest officials can claim victory in their quest to get fewer people spending more money during the 11-day lakefront festival.

Despite recording its lowest attendance in more than a decade, the Big Gig generated more cash with its 2006 edition than last year's event.

The attendance figure released Thursday is 864,866, the smallest crowd since an almost identical number pushed through the turnstiles in 1995.

Cash generated from gate tecket sales and Summerfest's cut on food and beverage sales still topped the 2005 figure by 7.4%, putting the revenue figure around $10 million.

With sponsorship dollars and solid sales for shows at the Marcus Amphitheater, Milwaukee World Festivals Inc. appears likely to reach its profit goal of $3.4 million for the year. The non-profit corporation operates Summerfest and coordinates the ethnic festivals on the Henry Maier Festival Grounds.

"We are very pleased with our 2006 results," said Don Smiley, president and chief executive officer of Milwaukee World Festival Inc.

"I believe the results directly demonstrate and validate our philosophy of focusing on quality and profitability over quantity."

Since coming on board in 2004, Smiley has downplayed attendance as a measure of the festival's success. Instead, he has sought to bring back an older crowd, and one with more disposable income.

Figures released by Summerfest suggest that strategy has worked.

Attendance dropped 4%, from 2005 to 2006, but the revenue increased.

Those figures are likely due, in large part, to a $3 increase in the gate ticket price, from $12 to $15.