Italian American Fest makes changes
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- The Italian American festival
kicked off in a big way with its traditional parade, but one not so conventional item is the festival's new drinking area.
"We're just hoping to show people this is more of a family event, than a place to come down and over do it on alcohol,” said Charles Scaptrua, Italian-American Festival Chairman.
And in doing so, people are now restricted to this beer garden. Moe Colunios has been running her ice cream shop here for the past 12 years and says it's a good idea.
"It keeps everything under control and makes it more family oriented,” said Moe Colunio, Montour Falls Resident.
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The first step is proving you're 21 years or older and after you do that, you get a bracelet like this, then you're in. Once you're in here, you have to stay if you buy an alcoholic beverage, according to the new rule, as opposed to last year when you could walk around.
"There were a lot of fights last year, there were a lot of problems with people bringing their own alcohol in. It just needed to be under control,” said Colunio.
Which is exactly why organizers implemented the rule.
"If you want to come down and have a few beers you have to be inside the garden,” said Scaptrua.
However, not everyone agrees.
“I think they should have it the way it used to be,” said Mike Marcoccia, Pennsylvania Resident.
He says it's bad for business.
"I think it's going to hurt the vendors by having everyone centralized over there,” said Marcoccia.
Whether or not you agree, organizers say it's a rule that's here to stay.