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| 7/27/2010 4:14:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Drinking debate at fairgrounds resurfaces after event
Molly McCormack
Correspondent
The longtime debate over alcohol sales at the Walworth County Fairgrounds resurfaced in the county following the July 16-18 Eco-Fair 360.
The event, which was held on the fairgrounds, has prompted a few questions about whether the sale of beer and wine should have been permitted.
Local lore states that when the land was deeded to the Walworth County Agricultural Society, there was a stipulation that there could not be alcohol served on the premises.
Walworth County Fair spokesperson Sue Pruessing said this is not the case.
Pruessing said the Walworth County Fair Committee makes a decision every year to not sell alcoholic beverages at the Walworth County Fair, but this does not mean that groups and individuals renting out the space for other events can't sell or serve alcohol.
"We have people that rent the grounds out for weddings, Quinceañeras, family reunions, and other such things," Pruessing said.
According to Pruessing, groups and businesses that rent out the fairgrounds can sell alcohol if they have the proper insurance and follow the protocol set by the city of Elkhorn to gain an alcohol permit.
If a family or couple wishes to rent the premises for a private event and they are only serving alcohol, they do not need to obtain an alcohol permit, Pruessing said.
In the case of the Eco-Fair, Pruessing said EcoVision Sustainable Learning, the group that hosted the event, met all the proper requirements.
"The Walworth County Agricultural Society rented the grounds to them, they wanted to have a beer and wine garden and we didn't object to it," Pruessing said. "They followed city ordinances."
However, Lake Geneva resident Jodi Renwick said she is concerned that fair officials are interpreting the Walworth County Fairgrounds deed in their own way.
"When the deed was drafted, I don't think they thought about the grounds being used for anything other than the fair," she said.
Renwick said she believes the board is skirting around the issue by allowing outside groups to come in and utilize the land in a manner that may not be in line with its original purpose.
The question between who is right and who is wrong has been an ongoing dispute.
Neither representatives from the Walworth County Register of Deeds or the title company that handled the recording of the deed were willing to confirm or deny Pruessing's statement that the fairgrounds is fair game for alcohol consumption.
Walworth County Administrator David Bretl said the no alcohol sentiment is most likely urban legend.
"I haven't seen a document stating that there cannot be alcohol on the premises," Bretl said.
Bretl also cautioned that the land was not deeded in one fell swoop. According to Bretl, there were several parcels of land transferred from the mid-1800s on.
The issue of whether alcohol should be allowed at the fairgrounds also came up last year at this time when fair officials considered whether or not to serve beer at the fair. So far they have decided to keep the event dry.
Representatives from the Walworth County Fair Foundation could not be reached for comment at press time.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Article comment by:
Terri Kropetz
The Walworth County Fair has done well for all of the 160 years it has been running, without alcohol !! If Wisconsin can prohibit smoking in public places, then why can't a venue continue to run alcohol free !! No one has gotten hurt by attending this alcohol free event !! If they need to drink, go to the bars !!!
Leave the Walworth County Fair, "alcohol Free" !!!!
Sign me, TEK
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