(KAIR)--Starting Friday night with the traditional concert kick-off, Atchison's 22nd annual Amelia Earhart Festival wrapped up Saturday night following a full day of events, ending with fireworks over the Missouri River. “It was a great weekend,” Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News. “We had officers deployed throughout the weekend, located at various points, and it was large crowds everywhere that we worked. On Sunday morning, we reflected that everything went fantastic.”

The LakeFest concert at Warnock Lake began the weekend's festivities, featuring the country music of Brett Young, Maddie and Tae, and a Thousand Horses, Friday night.

On Saturday morning, the festival officially began, with events running throughout the day.

Among them was the speaker's symposium, on the campus of Benedictine College, featuring Amelia Earhart Pioneering Achievement Award Winner, Jessica Cox, the first armless pilot in aviation history.

Jessica Cox/Submitted photo

Afternoon activities included a who's who of Amelia Earhart experts speaking on the festival's namesake during the Chasing Earhart Project's symposium held on the college campus.

Evening activities were focused at the Atchison Riverfront where music was heard, and an aerobatic display by Captain Julie Clark was viewed.

Captain Julie Clark flies above the Missouri River, at Atchison. Credit: Dan Bird

Festival Chair Karen Seaberg told MSC News she was pleased with the weekend's turnout. “We had one of the largest crowds at LakeFest we've ever had, probably 8,000 to 10,000 people. The weather, I don't know who the weather gods are, but thank you, thank you, thank you. The symposium, the Chasing Earhart, this has been one incredible weekend.”

On Saturday night, the festival concluded, per tradition, with the Concert in the Sky fireworks spectacular.

Seaberg was at a loss for words immediately following the display. “I have no words. This was amazing!”

The fireworks display began with the launch of two rockets in honor of two pilots killed in 2017.

Bethany Root, of Atchison, and Vlado Lenoch, of Bluff Ridge, Illinois, died when the plane they were traveling in crashed 5 miles south of Atchison's Amelia Earhart Airport on July 16, 2017.

Lenoch had performed the previous night as one of the featured pilots in the annual aerobatics display.

Bethany Root (left) and Vlado Lenoch (right)