SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Improved bus routes, better signage and the possible addition of food vendors are a few modifications already being discussed for the third annual Delta Woods and Waters Expo, less than three weeks after the second event shattered attendance expectations May 1.

“Everybody I’ve talked to said they want to come back next year, and that speaks well for the festival, itself, and for the care we take to be sure everybody involved has a chance to enjoy the event,” said expo chairwoman Claudine Andress.

With 1,000 people pouring through the Five Rivers Delta Resource gates by 12:30 p.m. on the event’s Family Day, Andress said the steering committee estimates as many as 2,000 people might have taken part in the environmental extravaganza.

“At 3 p.m., some of the Five Rivers people told me all three parking lots were full and the buses were still bringing people in. We’ve definitely got to plan for bigger next year,” she said.

The expo, tagged “Discovering the Delta,” was created to expose area youth to the virtues of environmental consciousness and importance of marine safety, while simultaneously addressing the city’s long-range goal of creating a communitywide event that defines and unites its residents.

Andress said the steering committee is discussing tweaking the shuttle bus routes to ensure participants make it to all of the classrooms available because post-mortem discussions revealed certain classrooms further removed from the expo’s central activity failed to receive the same amount of traffic.

In addition, food vendors will be considered for the 2011 festivities in order to free up staff and volunteers who this year served catfish and barbecue plates until the food was gone.

Andress also declared the free popcorn machine a “rip-roaring success,” but noted a second station will most likely be necessary to keep up with demand.

An estimated 250 volunteers pitched in for the three-day event that catered exclusively to area fourth-graders the first two days before the event was opened to the public on the third.

In order to minimize confusion, Andress said an orientation forum might be scheduled a few days in advance of the next event to ensure volunteers, steering committee members and the more than two dozen presenters are all on the same page.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out, and the hard work everybody put into it really showed and really shone a positive light on the city and its resources,” said Mayor Joe Bonner.

The two musical acts secured by committee member Medley Curry received rave reviews from almost all in attendance, and Andress said she is hopeful the dinated performances can be repeated next year. Organizers might was to consider relocating featured presented John C. Hall, who transforms himself into storied naturalist William Bartram for the expo’s duration, to a location further removed from the musical stylings.

“I don’t think anybody stopped to think that the music might be a little distracting right across the deck from the (Tensaw) Theater where Dr. Hall was conducting his classes. We’ll probably need to move him to a classroom next year,” she said.

An estimated 300 fourth-graders from across the Eastern Shore filtered through the eight round-robin activities each of the first two days of the expo, while Saturday’s Family Day offered an expanded slate of 25 activities and demonstrations, covering everything from small-boat handling and turkey calling to yarn spinning and marine safety.

“It’s about getting outside and learning what nature has to offer and then learning how to successfully and safely interact with it,” Five Rivers Manager Hank Burch said.

Andress also said she has at least three new items to add to the 2011 schedule, but she would like to maintain an element of surprise.

“I can tell you that we’re going to continue to offer things you won’t find anywhere else,” she said.