Prior to last weekend, Port Orchard’s last national news story of note was the episode two years ago when a local resident who was unable to remove a tire from his car and attempted to shoot off the lug nuts, injuring himself in the process.

But Cedar Cove Days, a four-day celebration of author Debbie Macomber’s vision of small town living, may finally eclipse the public memory of that unfortunate, embarrassing incident.

“It’s a new image for people in the area that we were able to put on a festival like this and attract people from 37 states and seven countries,” said Port Orchard City Councilman Jerry Childs, who helped to organize the event. “People are starting to look at us differently, and it changes how we see ourselves. We see our potential and how we are able to do so much more.”

The final numbers aren’t yet available, and may be less than sponsors’ latest projections.

There were about 800 official participants from out of town, and several thousand locals ventured down to see what it was all about.

Most had knowledge of an celebration for Macomber, who created the best-selling Cedar Cove series in Port Orchard’s image.

Sponsors hope Cedar Cove Days will start the ball rolling for the rehabilitation of Port Orchard’s image, becoming the answer to the “branding” question that has befuddled local business advocates.

Childs thinks it can fuel positive feelings about the town as a commerce center, noting that when people are thinking about places to start or relocate their business, Port Orchard will be near the top of the list.

Such advantages will be impossible to quantify, but there is one irrefutable fact — Cedar Cove Days made money.

Childs can’t yet say exactly how much, but guesses it will clear no less than $10,000 that will be distributed to various local charities.

The event cost about $160,000 to stage, with up-front costs coming from grants and sponsorships, he said.

Port Orchard Mayor Coppola said he was impressed with how local residents extended their hospitality during Cedar Cove Days.

“Everyone I talked to had a story about meeting someone from Port Orchard, and how they treated visitors with kindness and did something nice for them,” he said. “I was proud of the town.”

Guests began arriving Wednesday, with the opening ceremonies scheduled for noon on Thursday.

Seats began filling up an hour ahead of time, as fans jockeyed for a position close to the makeshift waterfront stage. They were rewarded by a band concert, speeches and an appearance by Macomber, who received a key to the city from Mayor Lary Coppola.

This was one of the few surprises during the carefully choreographed weekend, for which Macomber planned nearly every detail.

There was a “knit-in,” several teas and a regular tour bus schedule.

The big events were a dinner cruise to Kiana Lodge in Suquamish and a parade during which local residents portrayed characters from the Cedar Cove series.

Some of these were obvious, with Coppola, Police Chief Al Townsend and Port Orchard Independent Publisher Rich Peterson portraying their fictional counterparts.

Laura Early, however, was on hand to portray a character modeled after her, Charlotte Jefferson-Rhodes. Early, who has known Macomber for years turned up as a character in the books as a result of that friendship.

The cruise left from downtown Port Orchard on Friday, sailing through Sinclair Inlet to Suquamish.

On its arrival, participants walked through lush gardens before sitting down to dinner, followed by speeches from Macomber and her family providing private insights about her life — which participants lapped right up.

Macomber herself related the story about how she met her husband Wayne, when he called to speak to a roommate and got her instead.

His romantic entreaty for a night out? “You’ll do.”

And Wayne Macomber confessed that he has never fully appreciated his wife.

Macomber’s son Ted then had a confession of his own — that he had never read any of the Cedar Cove Books prior to the event.

Technically, he still hasn’t.

In order to fill this particular educational gap, Macomber gave her son copies of the book in an audio format.

To this day, he has only listened to the first and last volumes and filled in the rest from listening to others.

After this, Ted led the group in a newly composed “Cedar Cove Rap” which was, more or less, the repetition of the words “Cedar Cove, yo.”

Many of the participants were women in their 50s or older, who were traveling with a sibling or a parent.

Most of the husbands stayed home, although Stephen Laird of Jacksonville, Fla., was an exception.

His wife, Carol, had won an essay contest describing her favorite Cedar Cove character, and both were flown in as a prize.

Laird said he enjoyed the event, although he had not read any of Macomber’s books.

He put it into perspective by comparing it to an opportunity to golf with Jack Nicklaus.

Detroit resident Jennifer McGivern, who was attending with her mother, expects that, “People coming over to Seattle will have heard about Port Orchard because of this, and they will get on the ferry, come over and have lunch.

“This is an amazing event,” McGivern said. “It is well-planned and well-executed. And Debbie looks like she is having the time of her life.”