Another Dowagiac summer festival is in the books.

Despite the cloudy weather blocking out the sun during most of the weekend, hundreds flocked to downtown Dowagiac during this year’s Summer in the City Festival. Running from Thursday through Sunday, visitors enjoyed the dozens of street vendors, performers and exhibitors that dotted Front Street.

One of the big attractions of this year’s festival was the dunk tank hosted by the Dowagiac Police Department. For $2, kids received three balls that they could toss at the small circular target that triggered the trapdoors, soaking the officer seated above.

“It’s for the kids, so even if they miss we’ll let them dunk us anyway,” said Director of Public Safety Steven Grinnewald.

Grinnewald himself took the plunge several times on Friday and Saturday, which, given the mild temperatures, meant that the officers felt quite chilly by the end, he said. The money raised from the attraction will go toward the VFW’s “Shop with a Cop” program.

One of the new exhibitors at this year’s festival were the children’s pedal cars, which were hosted by the Crystal Springs Camp and Retreat, on Beeson Street. This was the first year that the Dowagiac summer camp had been invited to participate in the summer festival, said Director Dan Stuglik.

“We’ve been having fun,” he said. “We liked being here this year. We had some great volunteers and a great crowd.”

Based on the reception they received on Saturday, the camp would be happy to return for next year’s festival, Stuglik said.