LONG SAULT – Over 4,000 people attended the seventh annual Seaway Train Show held at the Long Sault Arena over the weekend of July 21 and 22. Organizers Rudy Tabak and Marie Morrell said it was the best year yet.

Visitors came to the small town from as far as Syracuse N.Y., Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City, Farnham, Bedford and Valleyfield, P.Q., Aurora, Borden and Withy. Excluding Toronto, the Seaway Train Show is the biggest show of its kind in eastern Ontario and western Quebec. The event features 19 exhibitors and over 30 vendors for visitors to enjoy.

This year, the winner of the $750 Via Rail gift certificate was Erin Sheehand Powel of Manotick. The event also raised roughly $4,500. Tabak and Morrell said in an email after the event: “we will be able to realize more dreams for special needs people artistically inclined.”

The organizing pair said despite almost 5,000 people in Long Sault, Avonmore and Moose Creek areas losing power from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on the Sunday, the show was still packed with people who wanted to come out and see the trains.

“This was our best year ever and people had a lot of fun doing slot car racing thanks to Ray Savard, balloonist artist Amanda Brown and all the event’s volunteers.”