I recall one year where I wished like hell that I'd brought
my foul weather boots as well as my full suit of sailing
foulies. I hadn't previously grasped the concept of just
how WET those Seaport Streets could get.

Then another year, when I slept on the Mystic Whaler, where
I basically put my foulies on each morning (and every time
I went ashore for the heads or the showers) and took them
off after the sing at night. I think the sun broke out on
Sunday about in time for the final concert.

By the time each day was over I could, to paraphrase Bernard Wrigley,
"grow tomatoes down me trouser leg." By the time each night was over,
the moisture from the foulies and towels hanging in the little 'sloop'
cabin had caused the precipitation to threaten to fall in the
interior, as well.

At Mystic, though, the rain has the benefit of keeping folks in
one place. People hang in the YTB for very long periods of time.
And once the make it to an after-sing, they're loathe to leave
until it's over.

In the better part of two decades, I seem to recall about two
REALLY rainy SMF's, a couple more semi-rainies, and a whole bunch
of "holy shit did we dodge the bullet!" events.

So long as the event strives for substance (i.e., education and
collaboration should be as important as 'performance,' then rain
only affects the 'profitability' part of the equation.) This is
another reason to re-tip the scales towards education, collaboration
and ultimately preservation.