Rules around alcohol consumption will be a bit laxer during the Rock ‘n Rail Music & Street Festival this year, thanks to a recent action by the Griffith Town Council.
A new ordinance established a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), which allows Rock ‘n Rail patrons to enter and leave the fenced-off Broad Street location with an alcoholic beverage in hand. That permission extends to people leaving taverns and liquor stores with an open alcohol container.
Stipulations per state law will limit quantities and also the size of the beverages, according to Griffith Town Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd. The DORA applies only to Rock ‘n Rail dates, so it won’t apply to this weekend’s Broad Street Blues and BBQ Fest.
The new ordinance is aimed to help liquor establishments during the four days the street is closed off for the festival, allowing more of a free-flow of clientele in and out of liquor establishments. One beneficiary of the DORA would be Charcuterie Wine Bar, 128 N. Broad Street, and also across the street at Set ‘Em Up, 135 N. Broad St., a bowling alley/restaurant. Set ‘Em Up is owned by Griffith Town Councilman Tony Hobson, R-5th.
Packing in the patrons during and after summertime events, Hobson’s bar business is also open until 3 a.m. Set ‘Em Up hosts at least one live music stage during Rock n’ Rail and the deck is usually filled with people over those four days.
This year’s event will be held August 29 through September 1. Although less than a month away, the town’s website has not yet listed the acts, which typically are local rock and country music tribute bands.
In the past, business owners on or near Broad Street have publicly voiced their displeasure over the economic impact, as well as some rowdy behavior, that Rock ‘n Rail has had on their establishments. Beyond the opportunity to potentially sell more liquor, the owners will now have no need to police those attempting to leave or enter with a drink.
The town itself operates several bars within the festival area staffed with volunteers selling beer, wine and hard seltzers.
Rock ‘n Rail makes modest profit for town
Rock ‘n Rail Fest turned a modest profit during 2023, according to figures provided by the town. The event’s revenues calculated at $300,844.63 against appropriations (costs) of $295,336.59, thereby showing a profit of $5,508.04.
Previous Rock ‘n Rail fests weren’t as profitable, with losses amounting to more than $21,000 in 2015, but were almost less than half that in 2016. Then the losses grew — $123,538 in 2017; $52,647 in 2018; $41,479 in 2019; $30,070 in 2021; and $26,417 in 2022. Most town events were canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Griffith’s abundant town-sponsored festivals and events continued to operate at a deficit in 2023 — calculated at more than $30,000 overall, inclusive of Rock ‘n Rail, Broad Street Blues & BBQ Fest, Oktoberfest and the weekly Central Market events, the Post-Tribune previously reported.
A subsequent investigation during 2023 — covering events from 2015-2022 — showed expenses of $668,000 from all events combined, according to numbers compiled from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The town actually reported revenues of $476,645.13 for those years. Losses over that eight-year period amounted to $191,535.63.
Ryfa has asserted that the 2015-2022 figures the clerk’s office provided were miscalculated and wrong.
How Griffith is funding its 2024 festival line up is rather unclear. Indiana Gateway, a website where all line items for all state taxing units are listed, showed that Griffith budgeted $605,902 for “Events” in 2023. However, nothing was listed in the “Events” category for 2024.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.