KEY WEST, Fla. – Fantasy Fest is in full swing in the Conch Republic, and so far, organizers are not letting Hurricane Rina stop any of the big activities planned for this weekend.
Amid the costumes, the craziness and the carefree celebration, thoughts of Hurricane Rina did not seem to be dampening the excitement Wednesday.
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"I don't really care. We'll still have fun," said one partygoer.
"I think the party's going on whether there's a hurricane or not," said another.
An estimated 50,000 tourists are in town for the 10-day party. Emergency officials are not preparing for any evacuations.
"There are no indications of any kind of evacuation orders or anything," said Jon Rizzo, of the National Weather Service.
In a news release by Florida Keys officials Wednesday, Rizzo said that the consensus on Rina is that it will lose hurricane strength after passing the Yucatan.
"Worst-case scenario we are looking at is wind gusts up to tropical storm-force in association with short-duration squalls moving through the area on Saturday," Rizzo said in the news release. "Given the current track, we may be looking at rainfall of 1 to 2 inches on Saturday."
But, Key West Mayor Carlos Cates said he sees nothing but smooth sailing ahead.
"Of course, with the concerns of the weather, but it looks like it's going to be a good weekend," Cates said.
About $30 million in revenue is on the line for everyone from street vendors to hotels. The booked rooms are, so far, staying booked.
"No, I'm not worried," said Julia Garcia, of the Chelsea House Hotel. "How accurate is the weather anyways? This is Key West."