One out of three organizations had the hours they proposed for beer gardens approved by city council.
The city’s committee to approve public events (CAPE) recommended to council that the hours requested for the Roots and Blues Festival be approved, but not the hours for the Demolition Derby and the Fall Fair.
Kevin Pearson, the city’s director of development services, explained at council’s May 13 meeting that special occasion licences must coincide with an event in progress.
The Demolition Derby, which shuts down about 5 p.m., had asked for a beer garden licence from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 25, while the Fall Fair, which shuts down at 9 p.m., requested hours of 12:01 to 11 p.m. on both Sept. 5 and 6, he said.
Council consequently approved a licence for the Demolition Derby from noon to 5 p.m. and for the Fall Fair from noon to 9 p.m. both days.
The Roots and Blues Festival requested a licence for three beer gardens – one near the main stage, one at the barn stage and one for the performer hospitality area behind the main stage.
Times requested for all three festival beer gardens were: 4 to 11 p.m. Aug. 16, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Aug. 17, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Aug. 18, hours that have been approved for previous festivals, city staff reported.
“I appreciate CAPE’s recommendations here,” remarked Coun. Alan Harrison. “They’re the experts and certainly I’m not. The only other thing that has a bearing – I think it’s important that beer gardens are in line with when events are happening. If people want to go after, they can go to a drinking establishment.”
He added that at the Roots and Blues Festival, a lot of people are staying nearby, while at the other events, everyone is driving.
