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Council approves Iron Horse Arts Festival with street closures and proposed beer garden
Summary
The council approved the Iron Horse Arts Festival for Saturday, Aug. 23, including requested street closures, use of parking lots and a proposal to consider an enclosed beer garden; organizers said daytime hours will run 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The City Council approved a request from the Iron Horse Arts District to hold the Iron Horse Arts Festival on Saturday, Aug. 23, moving the daytime portion of the event to 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and authorizing several street and parking-lot closures.
Cassie Ehrenberg, executive director of the Iron Horse Arts District, presented the event plan and said the daytime footprint will be "mostly the same" as last year but with a one-hour earlier start. "We are looking at Saturday, August 23 this year," Ehrenberg said, adding the change is to avoid a conflict with Husker football games.
Ehrenberg asked the council to approve closures of West Avenue between Sixth and Fourth Avenues and of Fifth Avenue between East and West Avenue for the daytime artisan expo, use of parking lots at Third and Railroad Street and at West Avenue between Third and Fourth Avenues, and staff support for street closures and auditorium access. She also said organizers are "looking into the idea of having an enclosed beer garden" for the daytime artisan area and will issue requests for proposals for any licensed vendors.
For the evening concert footprint, Ehrenberg said the main gate would be moved back to avoid blocking the Eagles' front entrance and that organizers plan taller partitions to control sightlines. She discussed logistics for food trucks and said last year's assigned spots made it awkward for some vendors; this year organizers proposed first-come, first-served placement or a simplified layout.
Council members asked about alley access and barricade placement; Ehrenberg and staff said they would avoid blocking the alley and move a barricade to preserve access. Public-safety staff and the police chief endorsed the request.
A council member moved to approve the festival request; another council member seconded. The council then voted to approve the requested closures and event plan.
The approval authorizes the city to support closures and to accept required vendor permitting; any alcohol service in an enclosed beer garden will be subject to state and local licensing and the city's permitting process.
