Friday, May 19, 2000
Tight Maifest controls vowed
Authorities plan to avoid chaos of Mardi Gras
By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — Besides the traditional bratwurst, German bands and crafts booths, this weekend's Maifest will feature more security, better cleanup, and nearly double the portable toilets of Mardi Gras, organizers and city officials say.
“There will be no wild parties at this event,” said Covington Police Spc.George Russell, who is coordinating security for the 21st annual Maifest. “We'll break those up in a heartbeat.”
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IF YOU GO
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• What: 21st annual Maifest, featuring continuous live entertainment — from authentic German bands to country — as well as more than 70 arts and crafts booths, 25 food booths, and children's rides, games and activities. Back by popular demand is the “all you can ride” ticket for $10, which lets visitors ride as many rides as often as they like from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• When: 5 to 11 p.m. today; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.
• Where: Four blocks along Sixth Street, Philadelphia Street, Main Street and Goebel Park.
• Parking: A free shuttle runs continuously. Maifest parking is available at the Westin Hotel parking garage in downtown Cincinnati, the Internal Revenue Service parking lot in Covington at Fourth and Johnson streets, Jillian's parking lot in Covington, the Covington city parking lot at Seventh Street and Scott Boulevard, the Covington city parking lot at Third and Greenup streets, the Covington city parking lot at the RiverCenter complex, and the Fifth Third Bank parking lot in Fort Wright at Dixie Highway and Sleepy Hollow.
• Information: 357-6246.
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At the March 3-4 Mardi Gras, MainStrasse residents complained of rowdy celebrants who damaged private property and urinated in yards and streets. As a result, next year's Mardi Gras was canceled.
Unlike Mardi Gras, this weekend's Maifest is a more family-oriented event, featuring food and entertainment for all ages, said Nick Franzese, a member of the festival planning committee.
“The idea is people are supposed to come here and behave,” said Tom Steidel, Covington's assistant city manager. “We're trying to have a nice, fun event here, but people need to come in and behave, and be respectful of other people's property.”
Maifest changes include:
Raising beer prices to $4 from $3. Bars and restaurants also will not be allowed to sell beer from windows in their establishments, and Alcohol Beverage Control agents will circulate throughout the festival to guard against underagedrinking and make sure that customers don't buy drinks in bars and carry them outside.
“The number of beer outlets has been reduced by one, and fencing will be installed on the north side of the event, with security, to keep alcohol from leaving the area,” Mr. Steidel said.
• Plainclothes and uniformed Covington Police will supplement security hired by the MainStrasse Village Association, with extra officers answerable to the city. Teams of officers will patrol alleys and streets just outside the festival area. The village association will be billed.
• The cleanup area will be extended by two blocks to the east, and there will be more trash cans. Beer also will be served in hard plastic souvenir cups to cut down on trash.
• The number of portable toilets was nearly doubled from Mardi Gras, and the village association has a plan for servicing them.
• Designated parking for neighborhood residents will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis in lots at the visitors center and on Fifth Street.
• Each day, a command center staffed by volunteers will answer residents' ques tions and concerns from an hour before Maifest opens to an hour after it ends. The command center can be reached by calling 655-7930.
Maifest, which officially opens at 6 p.m. today when a bottle of wine is uncorked, takes place in and around Goebel Park in Covington's MainStrasse neighborhood.
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