Gardner City approves one‑day liquor permits for July 12 food‑truck festival

The Gardner City License Commission approved one‑day liquor permits on Tuesday for multiple vendors planning to serve alcohol at a food‑truck festival scheduled for July 12, 2025.

Commission members approved one‑day permits for Tavern 13, Owen Hill Brewing and Wyoming Hill Brewing for the event, and discussed operational details for the alcohol serving area, public‑safety staffing and posting of licenses.

The commission’s chair said the event will follow the same serving‑area map used last year. Samantha Morris, an applicant for Tavern 13, said last year’s event “went great,” and told the commission the permitted alcohol area was on the front lawn and that staff informed customers that drinks could not leave the grassed area.

Commissioners asked who would install barricades and signage to mark the restricted area. Applicants said the city’s Department of Public Works has handled barricade setup in prior years; the commission’s clerk said she would “make a note to check with Phil or the DPW to see who’s gonna take responsibility for setting up the restricted area” and would confirm before the festival.

Commissioners also discussed public‑safety staffing. The applicants said the event typically has an officer detail; the commission clarified the detail would likely mirror past events (two officers covering eight hours apiece). The commission instructed applicants to post the issued one‑day license in the designated serving area when on site and to use signage and staff to prevent patrons from leaving the alcohol zone.

No ordinance or statute beyond the local licensing process was cited at the hearing; the commission noted that local rulings on violations may be appealed to the AVCC within five days of receiving a written decision.

The applicants and commission agreed to follow up on barricade responsibility and to confirm final details before the July 12 festival.