ALCOHOL RESTRICTIONS PROMOTE RIVERFEST FAMILY ATMOSPHERE

In an effort to maintain its reputation as a family-type event and to avoid potential problems, beer drinking at Riverfest this year will be confined to two beer garden areas.

"We are hoping to make this a positive, rather than a negative," said Diane Howard, president of Riverfest. "With the large crowds we have been getting in recent years, the committee thought it would be in everybody's best interests to limit consumption around the grounds."

Howard explained that both the city and state have open container laws that prohibit people from walking around streets with open containers of liquor. In the past, the city police department and State Division of Liquor Control had an arrangement with the Riverfest committee not to enforce that law.

But last year, Riverfest officials were advised that the waiver would not be continued.

"We worked with the Division of Liquor Control for the last nine months to develop a plan that will be workable," said Howard. "People can consume liquor in the beer gardens, but when they walk out of there, they would have to leave their beer cup behind, the same as in any bar."

Howard said attractive beer gardens are being set up at Themis and Water Street, across from Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant, and at Broadway and Water, across from Ragsdale's.

Food will also be sold at Water and Themis, while the other garden will sell beer only.

"We are not going to be there strong arming people or anything else," noted Howard. "We are hoping it will be a very positive thing; having attractive and pleasant beer gardens where people can sit down with their friends."

There will also be a prohibition this year against bringing beer coolers onto Riverfest grounds. Howard said in the past, many people brought beer in during the evening entertainment. But this year law enforcement officers will not allow it because it violates the city's open container law.

"We want people to know about this in advance," said Howard. "Please do not bring coolers to Riverfest grounds, just like you can't take one into Busch Stadium."

Howard added that the plan devised for Riverfest here is similar to what has been used in other places for events like this.

"We really do think this will be a plus. On Friday and Saturday night, the crowds get quite large," said Howard. "Although we haven't had any major problems in the past, this makes it easier to control crowds. We want people to feel comfortable bringing kids down to see the fireworks and other activities.

"This is not really an adult activity, but rather a family activity. That's how we started out 12 years ago."