Holy Ghost Parish Fair to stop alcohol sales at 9 p.m.; council approves open-container waiver and organizers cite contract conflicts

The Hammond City Council on Sept. 23 approved two resolutions allowing alcohol sales and an open-container waiver for the Holy Ghost Parish Fair but recorded public discussion and council concern about safety, contract timing and potential lost revenue for the fair.

What the council approved: Council members voted to permit the Holy Ghost Parish Fair Committee to serve alcohol within a defined boundary on the following dates and times: Oct. 24, 4 p.m.–9 p.m.; Oct. 25, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; and Oct. 26, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. The council separately waived the city’s open-container law for the same dates, times and boundary. The motions passed; both measures recorded one abstention by Councilman Andrews.

Organizers’ request and concerns: Joe Thomas, representing Holy Ghost Church leadership, asked the council to pass the resolution on behalf of the parish and its roughly 2,500 families: “I am representing Holy Ghost Church, their leadership team, on behalf of the pastors there. And I would ask on behalf of the 2,500 families that attend Holy Ghost that you allow this resolution to pass,” he said during public comment.

Jasmine Landry, chair of the fair, told council members the fair leadership had met with school and administrative staff and that the fair organizers had originally hoped for a 10 p.m. closing time. She said the group accepted the council’s request to set 9 p.m. for closing. Landry noted the carnival operator’s contract was for 10 p.m., which created a timing conflict the organizers would need to resolve with their contractor.

Safety and timing rationale: City staff and at least one council member framed the change as a public-safety decision. One speaker summarized the discussion as: “This is a safety issue…[t]he times we live in right now… it’s basically a safety issue,” and said many of the fair’s vendors wrap up most activity in the final hour between 9 and 10 p.m. Staff confirmed the mayor’s office had administratively set the fair closure at 9 p.m. and explained that the council’s votes concerned the alcohol waiver and open-container exception.

Contract conflict and financial concern: Several council members and members of the public said vendors (including the carnival operator) had contracts for 10 p.m., and organizers acknowledged that. Council members asked whether the city had coordinated with organizers before the administrative decision to set fair closure at 9 p.m. Jasmine Landry said some school personnel and fair leadership met with administration but that no final carnival contract had been signed when she met with staff; later the organizers signed a contract in anticipation of approval. Council members expressed concern that reducing sales by one hour could have an outsize financial impact for small-organizer fundraising.

Enforcement and practicalities: Staff and the fair leadership agreed the open-container waiver and the fair closure at 9 p.m. require coordination. City legal staff said the council could approve the waiver until 9 p.m. and that internal coordination between police and event organizers would be needed to allow a short leeway for final alcohol sales when vendors are closing. One council member asked staff to ensure that the administrative approval and any enforcement plan were clearly spelled out before the event.

Votes and recorded roll call: For the alcohol-resolution vote the transcript records: Councilman Wells — Aye; Councilman Divitario/De Vaterio — Aye; Councilwoman Gonzales — Aye; Councilman Leon — Aye; Councilman Andrews — Abstain. The open-container waiver vote recorded a comparable roll call with one abstention (Andrews).

What the organizers asked the council to consider next: Organizers asked that the council consider the contract timing issue for next year and to communicate schedule changes earlier in the process so vendors are not locked into conflicting contracts. Council members acknowledged the request and said staff would work with organizers to coordinate enforcement and to provide clearer communications in future years.

Ending: The resolutions authorizing alcohol sales and the open-container waiver are approved as recorded; staff were directed to coordinate enforcement, review timing conflicts and provide clearer documentation to organizers before the Oct. 24–26 event.