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WHEELING - Buddy Brewer came all the way from Houston, Texas for the 2008 Heritage Music BluesFest at Heritage Port. And he was quite impressed with the three-day event that wrapped up Sunday.

"This is my first time here, and the whole thing is just beautiful," he said.

Artists performing Sunday included Trampled Under Foot, Seth Walker, Tinsley Ellis, Deanna Bogart, Lil' Ed and The Blues Imperials, and Johnny Winter and James Cotton.

Also enjoying his first BluesFest was Bridgeport resident Chuck Miller.

"I go to Jamboree In The Hills every year. This is a little different because the crowd is much more relaxed, and interested in the music," he said.

Festival Organizer Bruce Wheeler said the eighth edition of the festival that began in 2001 drew the largest audience yet.

"We won't know exactly how many people were here until we count how many wristbands we have sold. But it is definitely the biggest crowd yet," he said.

Wheeler said the festival is also drawing fans from far away places, as evidenced by Brewer coming from Texas.

"We had fans from 22 different states, and from Canada, Mexico and Brazil," he said.

As for the artists, Wheeler has been able to draw them from as far away as Serbia and Switzerland on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

"When the word of a festival like this gets out, it helps us draw a larger crowd, and have a larger selection of artists," he said.

Wheeler has even been forced to place some eager performers on a waiting list.

"I only have three days to work with, but I only have so many slots because each act plays about an hour set," he said.

Though Wheeler is unsure of who will be on next year's lineup, he said the festival should continue to grow.

"We are building the momentum now that should let us keep growing," he said.