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MILWAUKEE - The final day of Summerfest 2009 was sunny and warm.  It was the perfect end to a festival that exceeded expectations this year.

Summerfest CEO Don Smiley says the final numbers aren't in yet, but he believes attendance will be on par with last year.  He considers that a huge victory in this economy.  "We really set our sights on providing value this year so that everyone could afford to get into Summerfest and to come down and enjoy it," he told reporter Lauren Leamanczyk.

Getting people to the festival grounds involved more promotions than ever before.  Each day featured a free or reduced admission event.  Organizers used Twitter and Facebook to offer deals on the fly.

"If we thought we had bad weather coming in an hour or so, we would get out to those communities and say admission is free for an hour," Smiley explained.

He also credits strong lineups at the Marcus Amphitheater and the side stages.  Smiley says he's pleased with what they accomplished this year.  He thinks any business in any industry would be happy to have 2009 results that are competitive with those of last year.

Patrons said the festival offered the same music, food and fun that keeps bringing them back.  Randall Thomas, who attends Summerfest 5 or 6 times each summer says this year was a little less crowded than those in the past.  Still, he believed the festival was a success.