The Tisbury car show — a Labor Day weekend event that benefits the town firefighters association — will go on, although now possibly at a different location.

Show raises money for Tisbury firefighter relief fund.

Alison L. Mead

Show raises money for Tisbury firefighter relief fund.

Alison L. Mead

Following complaints from Main street business owners about closing off the street during a holiday weekend, the firefighters association said it would call a meeting Sunday to decide whether to relocate the show to the regional high school.

If the location cannot be changed, then the show will be staged on Main street from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6, as approved by the Tisbury selectmen Tuesday night. The original show was planned for 1 to 4 p.m. The plan calls for Main street to be closed to vehicle traffic one hour ahead and for the duration of the show.

This was the reason for complaints from business owners on Tuesday.

Some expressed concern that the timing negatively affected sales, and they requested a change in time, date or location.

“I am all in favor of supporting firefighters, don’t get me wrong, but last year and the year before as well, what happens is it’s a busy weekend . . . . and all the businesses, we were all grumbling because that’s Labor Day weekend,” said Peter Simon, who owns a gallery on Main street.

Charles Downing, owner of Off Main, echoed the sentiment.

Cool cars, but some Main street merchants are hot under collar over street closure.

Alison L. Mead

Cool cars, but some Main street merchants are hot under collar over street closure.

Alison L. Mead

“I can’t imagine another town on this Island that would allow the streets to be closed on the day before Labor Day,” he said. “I hate arguing against anything for fundraising for good people, especially people who put themselves in danger, but on the other hand I can’t believe I’m arguing to keep the streets open on the day before Labor Day.”

Ken Maciel, a spokesman for the firefighters association, said a date change would mean holding the show on a Saturday to have Sunday free for the rain date.

The annual car show serves as a fundraiser for the firefighter relief fund, with proceeds going to help firefighters and their families in times of hardship. This year, the show is hoping to see about 100 cars and will also have food and music. Mr. Maciel had presented the board with a list of Main street business owners who supported the show, and two came to the meeting to voice their support.

“That day isn’t about us, it’s about the fire department, they give up their lives, we can’t give them half a day?” said Doug Johnson of Kennedy Studios.

In the end the selectmen voted to allow the show but moved the time to later in the day.

On Thursday Mr. Maciel told the Gazette that the time change is problematic.

“If we do it at that time, I lose my band and I have an older generation that comes, and they would like to leave at 3:30 so I’m going to lose them,” he said.

“The high school might be a better location in the long run. It has more room for expansion. Next year will be our tenth anniversary and we want to do something big.”