Council approves Saint Chris Summer Festival, waives permit fees and authorizes parking restrictions

The Speedway Town Council on June 9 approved a special-events permit for the Saint Chris Summer Festival and waived associated permit fees. Organizer Doug Ponzler described the event schedule and requested no-parking restrictions on the north side of 15th Street from Lyndhurst to Biltmore and both sides of Biltmore Street from 15th to 16th Street; he also requested four large road barriers for event entrances.

Ponzler said the festival will feature food, a beer garden, a stage with entertainment, and vendor areas; food service would run from about 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday and from 3 p.m. to midnight on Saturday. He told council crews would set up no-parking signs and that the streets would remain open for pass-through traffic because carnival rides are not part of the event.

Councilors asked about noise and timing; Ponzler said vendor and food-service activity would finish by 11 p.m. though the event would remain allowed until midnight to allow patrons to clear the site. The council voted 4-0 to approve the special-event request, to authorize town barriers and signage, and to waive permit fees.

The festival organizer said the street department will place barricades and cones the morning of the event and that event staff will issue additional no-parking signage.