In it’s possible final year, the Northwest Flower & Garden Show came out successful last week, even after reported double-digit percentage drops in attendance of other consumer and trade shows.

Even after creator Duane Kelly decided to retire from his reign as coordinator of the show and chairman of Salmon Bay events to pursue other interests and endeavors, the show saw an attendance climb of 54,443, a four percent increase from last year’s attendance of 51,692.

Duane is still in search of a buyer for the show to continue the rite of spring tradition in the Pacific Northwest.

Salmon Bay Events in Ballard owns and produces both the Northwest and San Francisco Flower and Garden Shows. They are the second and third largest shows in the county, after Philadelphia. More than 1.5 million have attended the show since its inception, and annual attendance ranges between 60,000 and 80,000.

Kelly will be accepting purchase offers and proposals until Feb. 28 and hopes to announce a buyer on the last day of the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show which runs from March 18-22.