Council approves Fitzgerald St. Patrick's Day festival, authorizes wet-zone extension subject to manager review

City staff presented a request to approve the Fitzgerald Saint Patrick's three-day celebration (including an alcohol special event permit and Railroad Square usage) and to extend a wet zone for alcohol sales during the event. Kevin Trapp, interim parks and recreation director, summarized logistics including a hard road closure at Adams Street and Nebraska Avenue and staff's recommendation to approve the requested times and usage.

Business owners representing Steamworks, Bourbon On Main and other downtown establishments asked the council to extend the wet zone west from Grand Boulevard to Bank Street so multiple businesses could participate. "We are requesting the extension of the wet zone to span from Grand Boulevard to Bank Street so businesses can have a consistent event experience," a business owner said.

Council members approved the event as requested and then separately approved a motion to authorize the city manager to make final determinations on the wet-zone extension and related road closures after a site committee meeting; the manager retains authority to deny the extension if safety standards cannot be met. The motion included the requirement that the site committee and city manager review staffing needs for police and public works during the expanded closure.

Next steps: The city manager and site committee will finalize the wet-zone boundaries and staffing requirements and return final determinations as required by the motion.