Spokane Symphony music director Eckart Preu stood at the podium at Comstock Park Monday and wondered aloud if this was an even bigger crowd than usual. From this photo, you can see, it was a huge.

Thousands showed up for the Spokane Symphony's Labor Day concert at Comstock Park. Two reasons for the big turnout: First, the weather was perfect. Second, people can no longer take this event for granted.

There was no Comstock Park concert last year, for the first time in 25 years, because there was no funding. This year, Sterling Savings stepped up and sponsored it. They will also sponsor it for the next two years.

The symphony sounded great, and the traditional crowd-pleasers -- "The 1812 Overture"  and "Stars and Stripes Forever" -- got the crowd up and clapping

And let's applaud Sterling Savings as well. Now, more than ever, arts organizations need this kind of corporate support to stay healthy.

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