TIMES SQUARE — Times Square tourists weren't about to let Hurricane Irene bring them down.
Visitors outfitted in ponchos, sitting on sandbags and taking shelter under awnings told DNAinfo on Saturday that they still plan to have fun in New York despite the rain and threatening wind on the way.
Vancouver resident Pamela Findlay, who turned 48 on Saturday, planned to see a performance of "Wicked" in celebration of her and her sister's birthdays, but the show was cancelled. She said she and her family members, who were decked out in white plastic ponchos, would spend the day walking around in the rain.
"If all else fails, we have New York bagels and cream cheese we can have with a bottle of wine in our hotel room," Findlay said.
Frenchman Richard Grobert, 38, came to New York to represent France in the World Police and Fire Games soccer matches, which are cancelled on Saturday and Sunday. Instead, he and his teammates took photos of each other in Times Square.
"We're a little disappointed, but it's no problem," Grobert said, adding that he and his teammates would shop at whatever open stores they could find.
French visitor Madeline Martins, 43, and her two sons, Louis, 12 and Arnaud, 9, took shelter under scaffolding on 42nd Street as rain fell. They had to cancel their plans for the day.
"We wanted to go to the Apple Store and FAO Schwartz and have dinner at the revolving restaurant [at the Marriott Marquis], but the visibility will be so bad," Martins said.
Martins said her family would go see a movie instead.
Times Square's usual workers were out despite the rain, too.
Comedy club promoter Harry Kaback, 26, said he would be shilling tickets all day, all night and Sunday if his club is open then.
"We're hoping people are looking for something to do," he said.
The rain didn't scare off The Naked Cowboy either. The street performer strummed away in the rain and said he would be out all weekend. He sang — what else? — "Rock You Like a Hurricane."
