A post-mortem of this year's Bermuda Music Festival has left Ministry officials as satisfied as the thousands of people who attended the weekend event.

The Ministry of Tourism and Transport has released preliminary attendance numbers for the festival and called it "one of the most successful musical events to be held in the Island in recent memory".

Ticket sales over the four day event soared past the 8,000 mark, with Saturday night's event featuring Patti LaBelle pulling in more than 3,100 music lovers. Thursday night was also a big seller with nearly 2,700 tickets sold to see, amongst others, Al Green and Joss Stone. Friday's event, featuring Angie Stone and Groovin' for Grover, sold more than 1,500, and Wednesday night's Reggae and Romance Beach Party featuring the original Manhattens and Jahstice Reggae Band at the Fairmont Princess sold almost 700 tickets.

Revenue for the festival is up this year, the Ministry noted, and sponsorship saw a 100 percent increase compared to last. The Minisrtry also stated that more than 1,000 visitors came to the Island specifically for the event, and that polls since the weekend of both visitors and locals have indicated "complete satisfaction" with the festival.

Tourism Minister Ewart Brown dubbed the tenth Anniversary Bermuda Music Festival "an overall success" and the Ministry stated that "plans are already afoot to build upon this year's positive results".

Dr. Brown said: "We are tremendously pleased with the results of this year's festival, particularly the artists' performances, both local and international. Overall success in the development and expansion of the festival with the introduction of the Victualling Yard and the Food Court, the Onion Stage, the Trophy Suites and Club Pass Seats, also proved to be good introductions to the festival format. We were pleased with the visitor attendance, and it is our goal to work hard to increase those numbers for next year's event."

The festival also raised funds for the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus Foundation (LLBC) Hurricane Katrina Fund.