KENTUCK FESTIVAL BEER SALES FALL FLAT

By WVUA 23 Student Reporter Madison MacLean

Art from local artists and beers from local brewers.  It seems like the two would go hand-in-hand at an art festival in October.  But, not everyone thought beer at Kentuck was a good idea.

“We had some petitions with over 500 signatures from different Northport citizens saying they didn’t want it there, but they didn’t want to reconsider” said Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon.  “It’s just that the profit I think they were hoping to get from the craft beer sales, I don’t think that happened or materialized.”

The decision to sell beer at the 45th Annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts fell to Northport’s City Council. They greenlit beer sales despite the petition. Overall, the festival was a big success. Craft beer sales? Not so much.

The issue may have been a lack of promotion, organizers said.

“We did not promote it,” said Kentuck Executive Director Amy Echols. “That’s a vendor, just like the person selling lemonade is a vendor, kettlecorn is a vendor, your blooming onions.  Why would Kentuck go spend their marketing money on a vendor serving something when we have all these wonderful artists and all these programs, music and demonstrations.”

Echols said the plan is expanding all programs and vendors in years to come, including craft beer.