Perfect weather, a reluctance to travel amidst the pandemic and growing awareness have combined to give the Steam and Vintage Machinery Rally its best crowds in decades.
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Run by the Border Steam and Oil Engine Club at Leneva, the event is now in its 49th year.
Club president Darren Dakos said at least 1500 paying adults had come through as at Sunday midday.
"The crowds have been phenomenal - the best in 20 years or more," he said.
"People aren't travelling very far.
"It's also a really affordable weekend for a family."
Mr Dakos said they could have 500 people at any one time enjoying the display of machinery, engines and equipment on Beechworth-Wodonga Road.
"We're spaced out reasonably well, and we've got hand sanitiser available," he said.
"There was a big checklist we had to get approved, and we've complied with it all.
"Everything has run well."
The Wombat Gully Tramway steam train rides are always popular - particularly for Rutherglen's Chris Welsch and his 7-year-old son Jack.
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Mr Welsch agreed the event was busier.
"We come for the steam train, it's always a good thing to have a look at and Jack enjoys it," he said.
"We try to come every year - it fills a lazy Easter weekend."
The event, like so many others, could not run in 2020.
Mr Dakos said it was a blow, given many costs of the event had already been spent.
"We had the fencing set up and the equipment serviced and ready to go, and the pin was pulled 10 days out," he said.
"We had no choice but to renew our insurance even though we couldn't use it."
The weather could not have been better for the popular Leneva event.
"In all the years, we've had one afternoon with a bit of rain and one storm one night," Mr Dakos said.
"We do always sweat on it."
