No booze for Blues Festival
For the first time in the 23-year history of the Onset Blues Festival, organizers had planned to have beer for sale at the event.
Selectmen had other ideas.
In a 2-1 decision Tuesday night, the board denied an application from the Onset Bay Association for a one day license to sell beer and wine at the Onset Blues Festival on Aug. 1.
"I don't support this at all," said Selectman Steve Holmes.
Holmes said he was concerned with the dangers of selling alcohol at such a large event and that he was against selling alcohol on town property. The Onset bandshell, where the Blues Festival will take place, is owned by the town.
He also asked why there was a need to sell beer at the event, when, "if you really needed it that bad" there are six restaurants within walking distance that sell alcohol.
"I think these events were designed to bring traffic into the area and help businesses flourish," said Selectman Patrick Tropeano.
He said that letting the Blues Festival sell beer at the event wouldn't help local businesses.
But Onset Bay Association President Eleanor Martin said bringing people to the area is the mission of the OBA, and that the Blues Festival is the major source of revenue for the OBA.
"This is the one event we have to make money to support the other events," she said. "We don't have people knocking the door down to give us donations like we used to."
Tickets for the Blues Festival are $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. It's essentially the only money maker for the Onset Bay Association, which puts on numerous events throughout the year free of charge, such as the recent Fourth of July Fireworks, the Easter Egg Hunt, Illumination Night, the Summer of Love Concert Series, events for Halloween, Christmas and many more.
"I guess overall that's a net gain," said Tropeano, who was the lone Selectman to vote in favor of allowing the Festival to sell beer.
Selectman Judith Whiteside asked about the Onset Bay Association finances and other sources of revenue aside from the Blues Festival. She asked why the OBA didn't charge for parking for the Fourth of July Fireworks.
Martin said that there simply wasn't enough manpower and that this year the fireworks display in Onset was put together by a volunteer committee of only three people.
At the June 16 Selectmen meeting, Selectmen unanimously approved the use town property, Hynes Field and Lopes Field, for Blues Festival parking. There will be a $10 fee for parking with half going to the OBA and the other half going to the town.
Selectmen previously approved a one day wine and malt beverage license to the Wareham Village Organization, which had the Buzzards Bay Brewery serve beer as a vendor at the Wareham Oyster Festival in May. The event, which drew about 5,000 people to Main Street, went off without incident. Blues Festival organizers were seeking the same license.
According to Bill Lockwood, who chairs the all-volunteer Blues Festival Committee, the OBA had spoken with Wareham Police Chief Kevin Walsh and were ready to pay for an extra police detail, if the Festival were allowed to sell beer.
The Onset Blues Festival will take place, with or without beer for sale, on Saturday, Aug. 1 at the Onset bandshell.
