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Council approves Apple Butter Festival MOU; Independence Street to close early for inspections
Summary
Council approved a memorandum of understanding with the Chamber allowing street closures for the Oct. 10–12 Apple Butter Festival and agreed to close Independence Street at 2 p.m. on Friday for fire and health inspections; committee said vendors must be spaced 10 feet and last year there were about 137 vendors.
The Town Council voted to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Berkeley Springs/Morgan County Chamber of Commerce to permit street closures for the 50th Apple Butter Festival on Oct. 10–12, 2025. The MOU, read aloud during the meeting, sets Independence Street to close at 2 p.m. on Oct. 10 so the fire marshal and health department can inspect food trucks beginning at 3 p.m.; other streets will close at 5 p.m. that day.
A representative of the Apple Butter Committee told the council the change responds to the fire marshal's inspection schedule: "We're asking if we can close Independence Street at 2PM on Friday because of the fire marshal's request," the representative said. Committee members also said each food trailer will be required to be "10 feet apart from corner to corner," and the committee expects fewer food-court vendors this year because of spacing rules. The committee reported about 137 vendors participated last year.
The MOU names the streets to be closed (Independence, Conroe, Wilkes, Fairfax and Bath streets) and requires the festival to provide insurance, sanitation and cleanup. The clerk noted the MOU lists Otis Carter, president of the Chamber, and the mayor as signatories. After a motion and second, the council approved the MOU by voice vote. Council members also discussed shuttle staging and making a shuttle drop-off at the ice house to help with traffic flow.
