The final step was taken to have a beer garden at the 2021 Yuma County Fair & Rodeos, though it will be on a limited basis.
Dave Blach of the Knights of Columbus presented the Knights’ beer garden contract to the Yuma County Commissioners during their regular meeting, last Friday. The vote was 2-0, with Robin Wiley and Scott Weaver in attendance, while Trent Bushner was absent.
The commissioners had tentatively approved the Fair Board’s proposal for a beer garden at its previous meeting. That vote was 2-1, with Wiley casting the dissenting vote. However, he voted in favor of the Knights of Columbus’ contract last Friday, stating that while did not vote for the beer garden, the decision had been made.
The first approve was contingent upon approving the Knights’ contract. The beer garden will be set up only for the Junior Livestock Sale on Monday of the fair, and again from 5 to 11 p.m on Tuesday for the nightshow concert. Only those with a ticket to the Travis Denning concert will be allowed into the beer garden that night — except for the Knights’ staff and law enforcement.
No food will be allowed in the beer garden, except for the buyers dinner before the livestock sale.
The approval is only for this year’s fair, with the issue being revisited later. There also are strict rules in place.
The agreement outlines the maximum capacity in the beer garden, the number of workers, cutting off or not serving those visibly intoxicated, the vendors not drinking, no one under 21 allowed to even be in the beer garden, that the insurance includes Yuma County as additionally insured, no free beer, and the commissioners having the ability to shut it down if any of them witness any issues.
The Yuma County Fair was the only one in northeast Colorado that has not had a beer garden.
