The number of people at Riverfest 2006 was about a third fewer than initially estimated, organizers of the city’s downtown festival said this morning.

&#8220The rain had a huge effect, and (Billy) Currington canceling had a huge effect,” said Riverfest 2006 president Josie Moody. &#8220We had some hills we had to climb this year that we don’t usually have to.”

Currington, who was to have been the country headliner for the festival April 21 and 22, canceled days before because of an illness.

Additionally, 1.65 inches of rain was reported in Vicksburg on the first evening of the festival, delaying all events for that evening and apparently keeping some people from downtown.

The turnout was 20,000, Moody said, just about the same as in 2005, but about 10,000 fewer than estimated by organizers on the last day of the two-day festival.

Despite the lower turnout, Moody said the Riverfest board, which met Wednesday night to look back and look ahead, was pleased with this year’s festival.

&#8220The four headliners – it was great,” she said. &#8220We had a pretty good turnout – especially for Kansas and Morris Day on Saturday.”

Moody said the board will scale down the entertainment for next year, the festival’s 20th, by providing one headliner for each night, instead of the four who appeared this year, and increasing the local music offerings.

&#8220We want to involve more local people – bring it back home,” she said. &#8220Those people are, in part, the reason we started it.”

Next year’s festival is planned for April 20-21.

Separately, another annual event, Spring Pilgrimage, was described by Colleen Small, owner of Cedar Grove Mansion and director of the tours of historic properties, as &#8220a slow season.”

&#8220No planning was done until January,” she said. &#8220You can’t plan that way. You need to plan six months to a year in advance.”

While it’s hard to gauge how many people toured across the city between March 25 and April 15, Small said, 150 visited Cedar Grove. Such pilgrimage destinations as Columbus and Natchez see about 250 people a day, she said.

Several attractions are slated for next year’s fall and spring pilgrimages, and the 12 to 16 participating homes are hoping for twice as many people.

Small said, in the fall, Vicksburg Heritage Inc., the 16-year-old organization of homeowners that participates in pilgrimage, plans to have ghost tours in the evenings. In the spring, re-enactments and live music will be incorporated.

&#8220We want to incorporate new things and work hand-in-hand with the city – incorporate what downtown is doing and co-mingle pilgrimage into that,” Small said.

A C-100 theme, which spotlights buildings more than 100 years old, is also in the works for next year. Small said she hopes to involve the 100-year-old homes in the area to celebrate Vicksburg’s recognition as a Preserve America City.

&#8220We are hoping they will open their doors during pilgrimage,” she said.