Port to give beer garden a try but sans two clubs

Port Washington’s popular beer garden events kick off Saturday, July 4, hosted by the Port Food Pantry.

The beer garden is held from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Upper Lake Park on Saturdays through Oct. 17, except for July 18.

But the seventh season of the beer garden hasn’t been smooth. The Common Council only recently agreed to allow the events to move forward, provided the steps are taken to minimize the risk of the coronavirus.

Those steps include serving beer and food to people at tables that are set far enough apart to allow for social distancing, ensuring tables are wiped down frequently, using disposable cups and silverware and requiring servers to don masks and gloves. 

People staffing the garden will have specific tasks such as handling money, serving food or dispensing beverages instead of being able to handle numerous jobs.

But the new rules and concerns about the coronavirus have prompted two service organizations, the Greater Port Washington Kiwanis Club and the St. John XXIII Men’s Club, to cancel their planned beer gardens.

“For us, it didn’t make any sense from a safety standpoint,” President Mike Gasper said, noting the members voted unanimously last week not to participate in the beer garden this year. 

“We have a largely older club with members who should not be out and exposed to the virus. We’re also a smaller club.”

That meant it would be difficult to staff the beer garden without members working throughout the day — including members at risk for the virus.

“We respect our members’ right to stay safe during Covid-19, to keep their families safe during these difficult times and to keep the public safe and healthy,” the club said in announcing its decision.

It will be difficult, Gasper said, noting that in a good year the beer garden nets the club more than $3,000 — money it uses to fund community causes.

“Hopefully things will be normal in January for our Chili Bowl,” he added.

Gasper said the club hopes to host a beer garden again next year, adding they are looking into other fundraising projects for the year.

Parks Director Kiley Schulte said the Environmental Planning Committee has stepped up to fill the Kiwanis Club’s Aug. 29 slot, leaving its original Oct. 10 date open for another civic group this year.

The St. John XXIII Men’s Club, which was to host a beer garden on Oct. 3, also dropped out of the schedule, largely due to increased insurance requirements because of the pandemic, Schulte said Wednesday.   

The clubs’ decisions are understandable given the pandemic, she said.

“I’m sure there are people out there who don’t think a large group gathering is the best idea right now,” she said. “But there’s also a large number of people who want activities. People just need to be smart about social distancing, washing hands.

”If any activity is a good one, I would say an outdoor one is.”

Members of the Parks and Recreation Board will monitor the beer gardens to ensure the rules are being followed and to offer advice to groups hosting the events, Schulte said.

“All the groups have to carry out the rules or they can potentially lose their right to hold a beer garden for a year,” she said. “We’re in a pandemic.  The needs of the community have to come first.”

Groups hosting the beer garden are the Food Pantry on July 4, Shipwreck Education and Preservation Alliance on July 11, Port Main Street Inc. on July 25, Stars and Stripes Legacy Group on Aug. 1, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7588 on Aug. 8, Be3 on Aug. 15, Port Lion’s Club on Aug. 22, Environmental Planning Committee on Aug. 29, United Way of Northern Ozaukee on Sept. 5, Port-Saukville Rotary Club on Sept. 12, Friends of Parks and Recreation on Sept. 19, Port Washington Firefighters/EMS Association on Sept. 16, and the Port Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 17