It’s now a week later, and there are still murmurs about it — even the rain.

In its third year the Austin ArtWorks Festival again shows it can be a premier southeastern Minnesota event. Even though first-day rains and extreme heat kept some people away, the two-day festival still enjoyed a successful run highlighting arts, music and food.

It’s a testament to the organizers and those displaying their crafts that the festival continues to roll like it does. Hundreds of people cycle through the event that this year spread its wings downtown, exposing both those that live here as well as those from outside of Austin to what the city has to offer.

This is a quality outing for families and people who enjoy the arts. It’s even more of a boon to know that people continue to want to be a part of the festival.

From the Spare Arts Show on Main Street to the return of Cloud Cult and the foot-stomping of Pert Near Sandstone to the hundreds of artists on display at the power plant, the ArtWorks Festival seems poised for even more in the year’s to come.

It’s commendable for everybody involved just how much they’ve been able to take a dream just three, short years ago and turn it into what it is today.

We can’t wait to see more of what the festival has to offer in the coming years and can only hope that not only those in Austin, but those in our corner of the state feel the same way.