Memorial Day weekend may be the unofficial start to summer, but rainy weather changed plans across the Philadelphia region Saturday.

In Camden County, Collingswood’s annual May Fair was canceled because of the rain. The event typically draws about 50,000 visitors to downtown Collingswood each year.

“Looking at weather, looking at safety, it was the call to make,” Collingswood Mayor Jim Maley said. “But we had a lot of businesses that were already setting up, already ordered. If you are in the food industry, these orders are made far in advance.”

Businesses that normally count on the crowds were still hoping visitors would stop by despite the weather.

“You know, it’s a big loss for us,” one business owner said.

Haddon Culinary was among several locally owned businesses offering specials throughout the weekend.

“So far so good,” an employee said.

Despite the rain, many people still spent the day walking around downtown Collingswood.

“Just make the best of it,” one visitor said. “Even if the May Fair is ruined, you can still make the best of it.”

To encourage people to visit, Collingswood made parking free Saturday through Monday.

“People love it in December, so we thought this would be a good way to just welcome everyone in,” Maley said.

In Philadelphia, some people escaped the rain by visiting museums offering free admission as part of Museum Fest.

Participating museums included the National Constitution Center, the Betsy Ross House and the African American Museum in Philadelphia.

“Rain will not stop us,” one visitor said. “Rain or shine you gotta get out.”

“We were looking forward to coming to this particular museum, and to find out that it’s free today is the cherry on top,” another visitor said.

Organizers said the rainy weather may have helped boost attendance.

“We know that museums benefit when the weather is cold, rainy and snowy,” one organizer said. “So this couldn’t have been better weather for this event.”

“The fact that it’s free — I have to thank my wife for that,” another visitor said. “I wouldn’t have found out on my own. When we found out it was free, it was a good thing to do inside.”

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.