Olga Brodsky had a tragicomic explanation of the short black minidress she was wearing yesterday at Hudson River Park's ninth annual Blues BBQ Festival at Pier 54: "I bought this dress at Loehmann's just now because a bird pooped on me as we were walking over," Ms. Brodsky, who was out celebrating her friend Monica Chase's 25th birthday, said.

Twanna Hines had dressed in less of a state of emergency. "It's summer — still — so I knew I wanted to wear a sundress," Ms. Hines said. "But I chose a long one, because in case it gets cold, at least my legs will be covered."

Kathleen DiMaiuta, who paired a yellow summer dress and leather cowboy boots with an oversize black bangle and green sunglasses, wore her "favorite outfit ever," she said.

Hats were a prominent accessory. Connie Toliver bought hers, made of a metallic copper straw, at the Harlem Week street fair. Many people wore purple baseball caps they had received for free from the festival's sponsor, the carmaker Lincoln.

The Blues BBQ Festival style was New York-style, with a breezy vibe suitable to the waterfront setting. Against the skyline or the Hudson River, fashion flourished.

As for the music and the barbecue, they were great, too. But festivalgoers had other priorities. "It's really all about us," Tremayne Cunningham said, eliciting peals of laughter from the two co-workers and a friend who had come with her.

Enjoying the waterfront was also a priority. "It's the only place where you can see the whole skyline, and get sunlight and fresh air," a dance studio manager, Ginny Nicholson, said.

"The waterfront is an absolutely great public space," Erin O'Keefe said.

"It's absurd it has only been built up recently," Aaron Couts added.

"It puts everything in perspective, that New York is the center of the universe," an information technology business manager, KC Masters, said.

Some festivalgoers remained tethered to work, such as David Choi, an attorney who lives in Midtown, who was poised to dig into a hot plate of ribs from Dinosaur BBQ. "I'm going to have a really greasy BlackBerry," Mr. Choi said.

agordon@nysun.com