Groves council approves expanded beer garden for 2026 festival after safety changes

The Groves City Council voted to allow the Groves Chamber of Commerce to expand the festival beer‑garden to include the band stage area during the 2026 Groves Con Festival, after staff and public‑safety officials outlined changes intended to protect festival attendees and youth activities.

The chamber’s request, read into the record by Mr. Lamson of the Groves Chamber of Commerce, asked the city to permit an expanded beer garden and said the chamber planned to use increased revenue to secure larger band performances. "We respectfully request the city's permission to expand the beer garden to include the band stage area," Mr. Lamson told council, adding that entrances would be controlled and monitored by Groves Police officers.

City staff told council a revised map was delivered the morning of the meeting and that staff and the fire‑department representatives had requested two emergency exit gates for the expanded area. A staff member said those gates would be locked and used only in emergencies and that chamber volunteers would man controlled entrances; officers on site would have radios to coordinate movement between gates.

Councilors pressed staff on logistics including porta‑potty placement, trash collection and first‑responder access. Staff said porta‑potties would be moved inside the fenced zone to reduce in‑and‑out traffic, that the number and placement of dumpsters would be decided at a pre‑festival planning meeting, and that EMTs and firefighters would use emergency gates and larger band‑area gates to enter if needed. Marshall Robin said emergency‑management meetings and officer training would take place before the festival to ensure coordinated responses.

Council members emphasized the expansion was meant to enlarge attendees’ walking and seating area, not to relocate alcohol sales. "We're expanding the walking area, not the buying area," a council member said during discussion. Staff confirmed beer sales would remain at the original sales location and that alcohol service in the expanded area would begin only after youth events conclude (staff said expansion would open at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday).

After discussion, the council voted unanimously to approve the chamber’s request with the revised map and the described safety measures in place. The motion passed with recorded affirmative votes from the mayor and council members.

Votes at a glance • Approved: Minutes of the April 27, 2026 meeting (unanimous). • Approved: Request to expand the beer garden for the 2026 Groves Con Festival (unanimous). • Approved: Invoice list for May 11, 2026 (unanimous).