There was a flea market earlier than 2009 which was rained on. The celebrity table was moved to the upper lobby of the theater where LION KING is now playing (can't think of its name right now) and everything else was in lobbies or sheltered spaces.
in 2001 only the celebrity table was in the lobby of the Minskoff and a few tables near the theater and it was not because of the weather It was right after 9/11 and the city had to keep certain streets open and I didn't believe their was room anywhere else although it did rain on and off that Day so being in doors certainly helped.