WALLACE — More than 1,000 people packed the narrow corridors of Sixth and Cedar streets over 36 hours to watch 18 bands perform at Wallace Music Fest.

Marcy Hayman, who sits on the festival's committee, was thrilled with the turnout and viewed the event as a changing of the guard from years past.

Hayman was also thankful for the weather. Temperatures never climbed high enough to become unbearable, but they kept people plenty thirsty. The mild conditions made the evening cool-down even more enjoyable when the headlining acts took their various stages.

As earlier performers such as Dante D'Angelo, Sarah Brown and Jim Tilden took the stage, the crowd seemed to grow with each set. By the time Snacks at Midnight performed Friday night, Cedar Street had become a sea of people eager to see the high-energy Spokane-based rockers.

D'Angelo, a retired U.S. Marine from Coeur d'Alene, delivered one of the weekend's standout performances, blending his distinctive voice with a variety of instruments, including a saxophone that left many wanting more.

"This guy was absolutely fantastic and so multi-talented," Sandra Barner said. "A true musician."

Saturday brought more of the same, with acts such as McGee and the Key, Alison Williams and Rusty Jackson warming up the crowd. While Sammy Eubanks was billed as the festival's main event, it was the Young Cardinals — a group from Raleigh, North Carolina, that also features Wallace natives Sam Branstetter and Marcus Matile — that stole the show.

"They just knocked it out of the park," Hayman said.

Social media was ablaze with "bring back the Young Cardinals" posts following the band's performance, something Hayman has already emphasized she will be trying to do for next year's event.

While the music is always the centerpiece of the festival, it's often the behind-the-scenes issues that make headlines — and not always for the best. That wasn't the case this year, and Hayman said she couldn't be prouder.

"Everything ran so smoothly and people just really seemed to enjoy themselves," she said. "We had a lot of positive comments. A lot of people just went out of their way to thank us, which was really nice."

Just two years after the chaotic demise of the Wallace Blues Festival, Wallace Music Fest appears to have cemented itself as a worthy successor, one that Hayman and her dedicated group of volunteers hope to continue growing for years to come.

    Dante D'Angelo plays the saxophone during his set on Friday afternoon.
  

    Blues legend Sammy Eubanks closed Wallace Music Fest.
  

    The crowd on Saturday night at Wallace Music Fest was massive with an estimated 1,000 people.