Committee schedules vote on special-event liquor license for Macomb Heritage Days

The Macomb City Council Committee voted to place an ordinance creating a special-event liquor license for the Macomb Heritage Days Festival on the agenda for action at the first council meeting in April. The festival is planned for Chandler Park at 148 East Carroll Street in June.

The petitioners, identified by the chair as Jan, Jock and Tonya and represented at the microphone by Mr. Headblade, told the committee they have entertainment booked and plan to site the beer garden in the southwest quadrant of the park in front of the band shell. "We're in pretty good shape this year," Headblade told the committee, and said the stage has been moved farther into the park and the tents and separate vendor tent will follow a layout similar to prior years.

Alderman Hemingway asked whether the city had reconsidered a different approach to serving alcohol at Heritage Days so beverage service would not be limited to a penned beer garden and could allow more activity toward the square. The mayor said no policy change has been made and noted an "overarching ordinance at the city level that prohibits open alcohol in public" but said the council could direct staff or a subcommittee to review and possibly tweak that language for festival circumstances.

Headblade also described crowding in last year's beer garden and said organizers are exploring extending fencing or reconfiguring tent staking so more people can access the beer-garden footprint while maintaining family-oriented aspects of the event. The mayor emphasized balancing safety and family-friendly goals when considering any ordinance adjustments.

The committee did not adopt the ordinance tonight; it was scheduled for formal action at the council's first April meeting.