Westminster council weighs alcohol at city events; adult egg hunt to be discontinued

Councilors and staff discussed the role of alcohol at city‑sponsored events during the Sept. 15 Westminster City Council study session, with multiple council members urging more nonalcoholic options and adjustments to event formats to make them more family friendly.

Councilor Ireland opened the line of discussion by urging the city to “do a better job in events that we plan, not to promote so much alcohol,” and to add family‑oriented options. Other councilors echoed that request, asking for mocktail options, nonalcoholic beer and clearer nonalcoholic service points at large gatherings such as Westie Brewfest.

Mayor Pro Tem and staff described operational options and said event teams will explore alternative beverage vendors and partnerships with local businesses. In explaining staff choices for next year, City Manager Jody Andrews said there has been council and community feedback about adult‑oriented events and confirmed a concrete change: “We are not planning on the adult egg hunt for next year. So we're we're planning to discontinue that,” Andrews said, citing budget priorities and community input.

Staff also said other large events—Top Taco and Westie Brewfest among those mentioned in council comments—could incorporate a wider variety of nonalcoholic vendors and mocktail offerings without necessarily eliminating alcohol at every event. Councilors suggested using partnerships with local vendors and nonprofits, and connecting event fundraising or donation opportunities to community services such as substance‑abuse education or local nonprofits.

Ending: Staff said the special events team will return with operational plans and marketing adjustments for 2026 events, including exploring nonalcoholic options and potential interjurisdictional partnerships to avoid duplicate events and better leverage local partners.