Despite Hurricane Irene, the (Boat) Show Goes On

Hurricane Irene may have cancelled the , but organizers didn't let the weather forecast deter them from last Friday night's kick-off in Sayville.

Big, brightly-painted boats rolled in from New Jersey, Florida and Michigan. Owners put them on display on Main Street, which was closed to traffic.

The Battle was designed to run all weekend long, culminating in a race on the Bay Sunday at noon. But the weather put a damper on those plans.

"That's mother nature," organizer Adriana Barry said.

On Friday, it was hard to feel too worried. A handful of attendees walked and skate-boarded from boat to boat, enjoying the last sunny day of the week. A couple of vendors also set up booths outside.

Still, Irene was not far from the minds of many attendees. Some stores on Main Street had boarded up their storefronts. Other windows sported tape in a fancy criss-cross designs.

Sayville Pizza posted a handwritten sign telling residents they'd be open "after the hurricane."