Wednesday, March 10, 2010

You'll easily be able to hear the music from our place

Town officials are considering allowing a weekend-long music festival at Freeman Park this summer, according to the Star-News. There are some hurdles; there are worries about vendor facilities, bad behavior and drug use.

At its Tuesday meeting, the town council gave preliminary approval to Michael Oliver's Revolution Evolution of Love Music Festival.

Oliver, who said he has nearly five years of experience planning similar festivals in Ohio, proposed a weekend-long festival at the north end of the park to raise money for the Carolina Beach lifeguard program. The festival will be free, he said, but accept donations. It will also feature paid vendors to help offset the costs of insurance, generators and other expenses.

It will feature local bands such as reggae, folk, bluegrass, classic rock and jam bands, Oliver said.

Bluegrass, reggae, folk and jam bands? Yeah, I can kinda see the drug concerns.

Town Manager Tim Owens questioned whether food vendors could get the necessary health approvals, given that they would need places for employees to wash their hands and other requirements. He also had concerns about the need for extra police and portable toilets. He suggested that if the council approves the festival, that it be held in May instead of April to avoid a possible conflict with beach nourishment (emphasis mine).

(Aside: This is very good news regarding beach nourishment. Yeah!)

The board voted unanimously to approve the festival with some changes to be worked out between Oliver, Owens and Younginer to address the board's concerns.

If this is your "thang," you will easily be able to enjoy the music from the porch of Our Beach Place. Now it's up to you to book the available weekend -- whenever that is!

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