Park board approves Kennedy Park wedding permit but bars on-site liquor, asks staff to verify insurance and licensing

The Fall River City Board of Park Commissioners on July 1 approved a wedding permit for Kennedy Park Pavilion submitted by Izeno Vaz for July 11 (noon–7 p.m.), but imposed a strict condition: no liquor may be served on the park property. The board’s decision followed commissioners’ review of the submitted certificate of liability insurance, which included a checked box for 'host liquor liability.'

Commissioners and staff clarified that serving alcohol in city parks requires a separate license and that the parks department does not authorize unlicensed on-site alcohol service. The board approved the permit contingent on that prohibition and asked parks staff (Darren) to reach out to the applicant immediately because the event is scheduled in 10 days.

What the board discussed: Members noted the insurance form’s checked 'host liquor liability' box and asked whether that indicated the applicant planned to serve alcohol. The board emphasized that, regardless of the insurance wording, on-site liquor is not allowed without the proper license from licensing authorities. The motion approved by the board therefore explicitly stated the permit was allowed only if no liquor was served on site.

Practical next steps: Parks staff will contact the applicant to confirm understanding of the stipulation, and to explain that any alcohol service would require a separate, properly documented license and likely approval from the city licensing board and/or the fire department if cooking or open-flame equipment were proposed. If the applicant seeks a licensed liquor service, they must pursue those permits separately and return to the appropriate licensing authority; the parks permit itself was approved only under the 'no liquor' condition.

The board’s action keeps the event permitted while preventing unlicensed alcohol service and clarifies staff follow-up responsibilities ahead of the event date.