The annual Maple Leaf Festival has drawn people from coast to coast for more than 50 years.

When the time comes for the annual Maple Leaf Festival weekend, visitors flock to Baldwin City. This gives Baker University students and staff the chance to raise money.

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One group that has become accustomed to the corner of Seventh and High streets is the Baker University baseball team, which has had a booth for four years.

“This has been our best year yet, money-wise, by far,” head coach Phil Hannon said. “I think it is mostly comes down to the crowd we had this year. Talking with some people around town, this has been the biggest crowd on Saturday that they have had in a while, and also that three of the last four years we have been in the same location. People are looking for us.”

The baseball team uses the money from its booth, which offers of sausages or hot dogs and fresh lemonade, to help with the athletic program. The money raised will go to some field renovations, which are in progress, and baseball gear.

“The boys don’t look forward to this time of year as much as I do, but to me, it creates an opportunity to benefit the baseball team, but also any Baker program that gets involved by spreading their name and networking to people from all over,” Hannon said.

Some students try to stay away from the chaos, but for two, they did more by helping their family businesses be successful in the festival.

Sophomore Cali Proctor worked alongside her mother this year by helping sell crafts that her mother makes for a variety of shows throughout the year. This was the second year her mom has been in the festival, where she sells jewelry, purses and a number of other accessories.

“It was different because usually I would be the one walking around, but since my mom has had a booth at this festival, I look at it from the other side, and think ‘oh why don’t you buy this,’” Proctor said.

Junior Trent Hoover’s family also sold kettle corn. His grandparents had the business for about 10 years before giving it to Trent and his brothers to run last May.

“This was our first year in the Maple Leaf (Festival) and overall we did great,” Hoover said. “There was so many people that we couldn’t keep up with the demand, but it was a good way to showcase our business for the simple fact of getting our family name out and make some money along the way.”