MERRIMACK – As for last week’s Fall Festival and Business Expo, they’ll call it a wash.

Hard rains kept attendance down at last weekend’s festival, intended to showcase local businesses. But the rainy conditions also led to some of the highest sales numbers in the event’s five-year history, lead organizer Dave McCray said this week.

The festival was held Saturday in Merrimack Town Hall, Abbie Griffin Park and other locations around the town center.

“The rain kept some people away. There’s no question,” McCray said Tuesday, looking back on the weekend’s events.

“But the people who came, they stayed and they made purchases,” he said. “A lot of people sold, amazingly, a lot of stuff.”

Despite the rain, about 5,000 people turned out for the festival, down from about 7,500 last year, McCray said. Few cars showed up for the planned car show, but the petting zoo and some of the music acts were forced to cancel. But, the event went on nonetheless.

Organizers managed to move nearly all of the business and craft tables, originally placed outside, to an inside location in Merrimack Town Hall or the James Mastricola Upper Elementary School. And though the buildings seemed crowded at times, it only enhanced the community feeling, attendees said.

“It was pleasantly crowded,” said Jackie Flood, a town councilor who spent several hours at the festival. “You could walk down the aisles with plenty of room to look at things, and there was a lot to see. .?.?. The business exhibits were amazing.”

In total, more than 150 businesses, arts groups and other organizations took part. The businesses included the typical range of commercial and retail centers, but it also saw a number of home-room and mail order businesses, Flood said.

“This is a really good opportunity for businesses that don’t usually get a lot of exposure,” she said.

For the first time, organizers had invited businesses from outside of Merrimack to take part this year, but nearly all the participants came from within town.

That could change next year, given more time to market the event, McCray said.

He didn’t decide to hold the festival until July, after fearing that his own health problems could derail the event.

But, after the success of this year’s festival, McCray has no such fears heading into next year.

He’s already busy making plans for next year’s festival, which, for the first time, is not likely to include any businesses at Abbie Griffin Park.

“We try to make it connect (to the festival), but it’s just too far away. Even in good weather, people don’t want to make the walk,” McCray said.

“I keep saying one of these years I want to get a fireworks show,” he said, referring to other possible changes. “I’m not sure it’ll be next year, but we’ll do it at some point. .?.?. This thing keeps going and it keeps getting bigger. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event.”

Jake Berry can be reached at 594-6402 or jberry@nashuatelegraph.com.