Alcohol may be served for the first time at the annual Montgomery Festival in Montgomery this summer.
Organizers of the 31st annual festival are looking to bring in a craft beer tent for the fest. During the Montgomery Village Board meeting this week, members of the Montgomery Foundation asked to have the craft beer tent along with food vendors at the event, which will run Aug. 7 to 9 along the Fox River in the village.
“The Montgomery Foundation has approached the village with a fund raiser of selling craft beer at the fest. The idea is to do something tasteful and with minimal impact to operations or the feel of the event,” Mayor Matt Brolley said.
Proceeds from sales of the beer would go directly to the foundation and not into the Montgomery Festival coffers. Police officials said patrons would have to be screened to make sure no one under the legal drinking age of 21 gets to consume the beer. Specialty wristbands are under consideration and Village of Montgomery Police Chief Dan Meyers said the color would change daily to make it easier to spot those who shouldn’t be drinking.
“We would limit the sale to high-quality beer, higher price, restricted hours, no food in the tent and this is a one-year trial only,” said Brolley.
Also, long-serving Trustee Pete Heinz has been named grand marshal of the Montgomery Festival parade.
A change this year is that in place of the Battle of the Bands, the country rock group Backcountry Roads will take to the main state on Friday night.
The event will feature a talent show, fire department water fights, parade, fireworks, food, musical entertainment and more.
Judy Pochel is a freelance reporter.