North Adams Commission OKs Beer & Wine for Concerts
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The License Commission on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for selling adult beverages at two upcoming music festivals.
The first is for Bright Ideas Brewing to serve beer at the upcoming Levitt AMP North Adams Music Series at Colegrove Park. The concerts, underwritten largely by the Levitt Foundation, bring well-known musicians to play for free in selected communities.
Eric Kerns, representing the brewery located on the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, had appeared before the commission last month with the city's Director of Community Events Suzy Helme. But the commissioners were concerned that an abuttor to the concert venue — First Baptist Church — had not been properly apprised of the application.
On Wednesday, they approved the special permits for the one-day licenses after receiving an opinion from the city solicitor that statute under which the permit fell did not require such notice. The solicitor had already submitted an opinion that the nearby elementary school was not an issue.
Helme said she had called and left a message at First Baptist Church about the hearing but had not spoken to anyone.
"It they come in here with complaints after the first concert, we are going to be sensitive to that," said Chairman Jeffrey Polucci. "We're pretty responsive to that all around the neighborhoods ... so this is fair warning."
The concerts are at 2 p.m. Sundays beginning Aug. 14 through Oct. 16. Kerns removed one date, Sept. 18, for serving because it conflicted with the FreshGrass Festival at Mass MoCA.
The special permit was issued on condition of approval by the Parks & Recreation Commission.
The second concert festival is being held at Western Gateway Heritage State Park by the Common Folk Artists Collective. Freight Yard Pub was approved for one-day license to sell beer and wine outside its establishment during the event. Common Folks' Jessica Sweeney and Colleen Taylor of Freight Yard said they were working together to ensure there would be no issues.
Taylor said they were still working out a plan how the plaza area would be cordoned off. She said staff separate from the restaurant would be serving outside and that the wine and beer would be served in plastic, making it easier to spot anyone attempting to leave or to exit from the restaurant with alcohol.
Two police officers will be working detail and Sweeney said Common Folks' "safety patrol team" would be responsible for ensuring compliance in the areas near the stage and if "somebody slips through the cracks."
"I have the same concerns you do," Taylor told the commissioners about controlling customers. "I'm pretty fierce about all the serving of alcohol."
Commissioner Peter Breen expressed concern about patrons exiting from the restaurant's patio and thought signage should be added as well.
Taylor said she could have staff on the patio and Sweeney said the box office for the concert was nearby and her team could also keep an eye on it. Polucci suggested a sign stating "no alcohol beyond that point" would be helpful.
"If that crowd is getting out of control, shut it down," he said.
The concert runs from 2 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13; cost is $15 in advance and $25 at the door.
In other business:
• Bright Ideas was approved for a pouring permit in the Mass MoCA courtyard on Labor Day for a show with Common Folk.
• DeMarsico's Wine Cellar at 28 Marshall St. was approved for a pouring permit. The company has an agricultural permit to make and sell bottles of wine and is located in the basement under Grazie restaurant but required a pouring permit to host tastings at the restaurant.
Owner Glen DeMarsico said his company is completely separate from the restaurant so the permit is required to hold tastings (8 ounces) in the bar area and the back room. The wine cellar would be responsible for age identification and bottle sales. The wine will also be available on the restaurant menu because Grazie will be purchasing bottles for its own use.
Tags: alcohol license, Colegrove Park, Heritage State Park, license board, winery,
