The Portage la Prairie Prairie Sound Festival wrapped up last night with performances from this year's winners. Prairie Sounds Festival Chair Person Pat McRae outlines the turnout.

"We had again in the high 200 registrations, so a little under 300 registrations in the speech arts, choirs, vocals and piano. We had a lot of recommendations for provincials."

McRae shares a personal highlight from the festival is seeing the students grow as musicians.

"We've done this for five years now so it's been interesting for me to watch the kids as they have grown over the last few years. I see them for this one week a year but watching them as they have grown up is amazing now that we have done it over and over."

She explains the students take a lot away from the event.

"This is the one time you get to perform for an audience. You spend so many hours at home at your piano practicing and your parents hear you but after a while your parents will naturally tell you that you are good all of the time. This allows them to step outside of that and perform in front of an audience."