Board approves downtown Fine Arts Festival, sidewalk sale and Westtoberfest; Church Lane music series tabled

The Board of Selectmen on Feb. 25 approved a set of downtown event permits requested by the Westport Downtown Association, including the Fine Arts Festival (Main Street and Siegfried Schultz Plaza closures, May 22–24), a sidewalk sale (June 26–28 with no road closures), and Westtoberfest (Oct. 2–3). The request for a Church Lane summer music series was tabled to the board’s March 11 meeting because that item needs a separate closure decision.

Max Crowley, president of the Westport Downtown Association, described the Fine Arts Festival as the association’s 53rd iteration and said it draws broad regional attendance; he estimated last year’s festival brought about 12,000 people to downtown Westport. Crowley said the association coordinates closely with police, fire and other town departments on logistics, security and clean-up plans and that vendor operations and crowd control have established scripts for set-up and break-down.

Staff Corporal Allen Demerra of the Westport Police Department told the board the department has worked with the association on barricades, signage and traffic plans for years and that signage and immediate enforcement would be used for any sound or safety issues during events.

Board members praised the events as assets for local merchants and voted to approve the Fine Arts Festival, sidewalk sale and Westtoberfest contingent on standard department safety recommendations and compliance with town procedures. The Church Lane music series was tabled to allow the board to consider its required closure on March 11.

Approved event details are recorded in the meeting packet; the board’s motion included the usual contingency that events must comply with town department safety recommendations and permit procedures.