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Corvallis, Ore., February 15, 2007 — Dynamic evening programs and three days of perfect summer weather resulted in record turnout and revenues for the da Vinci Days festival in 2006. Attendance at the 18^th annual festival reached 20,000, topping the 2005 total by 11 percent.

The record crowds boosted admissions revenue by 40 percent from one year ago. Festival finances also benefited from a two-fold increase in commercial exhibitor fees and the addition of six new sponsors.

Executive Director Brenda VanDevelder credited the drawing power of Grammy Award-winning bluesman Charlie Musselwhite for getting the 2006 festival off to a rousing start.

"We scheduled our biggest-name performer to launch the festival in an effort to create even more excitement on Friday evening," VanDevelder said. "That high-energy momentum continued throughout the entire festival weekend."

On Saturday night, NASA astronaut and Oregon State University alumnus Don Pettit drew a standing-room-only crowd to listen to his stories of space exploration. The festival also closed on a high note, with a 20 percent increase in Sunday attendance.

"We concluded on Sunday with attendance at an all-time high," said VanDevelder. "Crowds have always gathered at the Kinetic Sculpture Race Mud Bog, but we had greater numbers at that location and more than double prior year attendees at the main festival site at 11^th and Madison."

The musical acts for the 2007 festival have not been announced, but VanDevelder plans to stick with last year's winning strategy. "We will continue with this scheduling format," she said. "We plan to celebrate Corvallis' 150th birthday in style at the Friday night opening."

For more information about daVinci Days, or to volunteer for the 2007 festival, contact Brenda VanDevelder, or visit www.davinci-days.org