Rain didn’t disastrously dampen the 45th annual Ir-mo Okra Strut.

Turnout and profits remained high for the Lexington Medical Center sponsored festival.

“We’re sound financially,” said Larry Slaughter, chairman of the Irmo Okra Strut Commission. Final numbers are being totaled.

The exact tally of participants is unknown.

Since the Okra Strut is a free event, there is no official count.

There were a few small hitches.

One — the weather — hampered attendance and vendor sales.

“It’s hard to put in that order for no rain,” Slaughter said. More transactions would likely have been made if it weren’t for the weather.

A menacing-looking sky and showers that began around 1 p.m. Saturday sent many people from Irmo Community Park where vendors and exhibitors were set up, Slaughter said.

The rain didn’t hit the park hard. The shower lasted roughly 15 minutes. Even so, most attendees didn’t come back, he said.

Turnout at the Friday street dance was good and the Saturday morning parade drew a crowd.

Headline acts “were received well,” Slaughter added.

On Friday, The Root Doctors performed, following the Blackwater Rhythm & Blues Band.

The Weight Band took stage Saturday night.

A few more shuttle buses would have been beneficial, Slaughter said.

Parking at the park is all offsite. Guests and vendors are shuttled in causing some delays, he said.

Next year, extra golf carts are a must, he added, to ensure vendors get set up on time.

More volunteers will be sought in 2019. They do everything from selling soft drinks to coordinating the path for the parade unicyclist.

This year, they surveyed demographics and did exit interviews.

They collected attendees’ zip codes to find out how far and wide people traveled.