A crowd estimated at more than 6,000 - the most folks ever - feasted and otherwise enjoyed the 18th annual August Moon Festival Sunday at President's Plaza.

"It was a super turnout," said John Brothers, executive director of Quincy Asian Resources, Inc., (QARI), the hosts for the events.

"Last year we had 5,000. There were more this year. I'd estimate there were more than 6,000. Their cars filled the parking lot and still there was not enough room.

"We had three shuttle buses running continuously from the Quincy and North Quincy MBTA stations. They were crowded all day.

"And the Quincy Police Department did a fabulous job responding to the traffic challenge."

The number of non-Asians who attended the festival was up, too, Brothers noted..

"There were more non Asians there than in previous years," he said. "As the event grows, so do the number of non-Asians."

"I would say some 15 or 20 percent of the crowd was non-Asian, sampling the delicacies and enjoying the entertainment."

The day may not be that far off when the traditional moon cake of the August Moon festival joins the pasta of Italy and the corned beef of Ireland as a staple of Quincy's holiday cuisine.

Moon cakes and gifts were offered by two of the grand sponsors, Expressway Toyota and Mohegan Sun/Sunshine Travel, and Kam Man Marketplace gave food samples and gift coupons.

But by far the most popular offering, as the temperature reached for the 90-degree mark, were the stands that sold drinks and slushes.

Entertainment went on all day long from the opening Lion Dance by the Huang Qiang Gang Qing Group at 11:15 a.m. to the Fashion Show by the North Quincy High School Thomas Jefferson Forum and Asian Culture Group at 3:20 p.m.

Most popular of the newly added entertainment specialties was the Samurai Taiko Drumming Group, based in Quincy, practicing an art that has 1,500 years of history in Japan.