The threat of rain on New Year’s Eve forced the organizers of Midnight on Main Winter Wonderland to move up by one hour, to 8 p.m., the highlight of the evening: the raising of a shimmering ball high above the intersection of West Avenue and Main Street, followed by a Grucci fireworks show.

The windy evening also resulted in a decision to raise the 4-foot Lucite geodesic ball and then lower it, a change from previous years, said Mike Cirigliano, one of the event’s organizers.

The changes didn’t dampen the mood of those who turned out for what’s become one of Long Island’s largest New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Cirigliano called the festivities “spectacular.” David Kenndy, another organizer, estimated the crowd at between 3,000 and 5,000 people.

“It was a huge success and all went off without a hitch,” Kennedy, executive director of the Village of Patchogue Business Improvement District, said in an email.

The evening started with two hours of family-friendly activities along Main Street from 6 to 8 p.m., including a puppet show, bounce house, music and holiday-themed photo booths.

That, too, was an hour earlier than the usual 7 to 9 p.m.

The earlier time brought out more families than in past years, Cirigliano said. By 5:30 p.m., families were already arriving on Main Street, he said.

The first Midnight on Main was held in December 2014. This was the second year it was combined with Winter Wonderland.

When Midnight on Main was originally proposed 10 years ago, organizers wanted to hold the event at midnight, Kennedy said. They brought the idea to Patchogue mayor Paul Pontieri, who suggested that a 9 p.m. start time would allow more families with young children to participate, Kennedy said.

Midnight on Main Winter Wonderland is produced by the Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Patchogue. It includes help from many organizations, including the Parks & Recreation Department, Public Works and Code Enforcement, as well as village public safety officers, Patchogue Fire Department and Patchogue Ambulance Company. Rob Cutrone, owner of COHO Coffee House, was the master of ceremonies.