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Organizers, neighborhood groups and councilors say alcohol sales sustain community festivals
Summary
Event organizers and community partners told the board beverage sales help keep festivals free, support local vendors and cover substantial temporary infrastructure costs; several councilors and neighborhood center staff urged approval and future citywide conversations on rules.
Supporters of the three events told the board alcohol sales are an important revenue stream that helps sustain free or low-cost festivals and supports local vendors. Art Tobias, a co-owner of '45' and Rock the Ruins organizer, said the canned cocktails requested have alcohol content similar to beer and that organizers follow standard security measures.
Melissa Benton of John Boner Neighborhood Centers emphasized the cost of staging festivals, noting "last year alone, the cost of bringing in utilities such as water, electricity, and restrooms for the event exceeded $11,000." City Councilor Jesse Brown said many constituents took time during the workday to attend and urged the board to consider that community backing; Councilor Dan Boots, who chairs the parks and recreation committee, said he personally supported approval while inviting future citywide conversations on additional procedures or checkpoints.
