Following this year, attendance began to drop.  While other groups were participating, like Camp Fire Girls, 4-H, and YMCA groups, numbers didn't remain at the same high levels, and 1980 saw a low not observed since the 1940's: 300.  Following that year, however, attendance rose again and eventually averaged between 800 and 1,000 participants until 1987, when attendance again reached into the thousands. 
A special note needs to be made for the Redlands Noon-Kiwanis, which began co-sponsoring the Pilgrimage along with the Grayback District of the California Inland Empire Council (which replaced the Grayback Council in 1974) in the late 1970's.  This service group has continued to sponsor the Pilgrimage every year through 2000, and will likely continue for many years.  In an additional act of community support, the Downtown Redlands Business Association offered Pilgrimage participants coupon booklets beginning in the early 1990's, and has since become a financial sponsor along with the Noon-Kiwanis.

             To show how well known the Lincoln Shrine Pilgrimage had become in Scouting circles across the country, thirty-six Girl Scouts from rural Upstate New York earned and saved money, in some cases for as long as two years, to join the 1983 Pilgrimage.  These Girl Scouts traveled the furthest than any other group in the history of the Pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage participants said the Pledge of Allegiance before a United States flag which had flown over the U.S. Capitol, a gift to the Inland Empire Council by Congressman Jerry Lewis in 1985, and listened to the patriotic songs of the University of Redlands Community School of Music's Children's Choir. 
The parade in 1989 was beset with problems, although still a success.  The parade got off to a late start because over 3,000 Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Tiger Cubs, Campfire members, and 4-H members showed up, far more than anticipated!  At the program in the Redlands Bowl, more problems arose when the sound system proved faulty and noisy aircraft flying overhead occasionally drowned out the words of the speaker.  It was, however, still met with enthusiasm.

          The tone again changed, when, in 1992, bands and other groups were once again included in the parade.  It was thought that because attendance was declining (it actually wasn't; participation had hovered at between 3,000 and 3,500 since 1988) the Pilgrimage should be more of a community event.  Thus, the Cope Junior High School marching band and bagpipe players from R.P. Blandford and Sons Ltd. in Redlands, as well as mounted posses from the Redlands Police Department and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department participated.  In addition, the Norton Air Force Base Color Guard led the parade, and Smokey the Bear, The San Bernardino Spirit Bug, Miss Teen Redlands, and dignitaries from Yucaipa, Redlands, and surrounding communities took part.  Moreover, an Edison Line Car, a Redlands antique fire engine, and many classic automobiles could be seen.  Ironically, attendance at this Pilgrimage was only 2,500, down 1,000 from the previous year.
In the years following the 1992, attendance averaged about 1,000, although the diversity of community groups participating remained. 

The Pilgrimage is an excellent example of how a community can utilize its resources to create something that is unique, interesting, and stands the test of time. 
As Dr. Larry Burgess, then Curator of the Lincoln Shrine, said in his 1984 address to the Pilgrimage participants, echoing the words of Robert Watchorn in his remarks about the first Pilgrimage, "[I hope it will] go on forever."  This event, unique in the West, shows no sign of stopping today.