Annual street dance tackled by Main Street Committee

Discussing plans for this year’s July 3 street dance, left to right, were The Silver Wolff owners Chris Wolff and Bri Lahodik, and Huddle Up Pub owners Bill Kvapil and Sandy Shecklman, during the inaugural Main Street Committee meeting May 30. The group plans to organize the annual dance, collaborating with the Main Street business owners and with those already planning activities for that day. Photo by Julia Wolf

By Julia Wolf

A Main Street Committee organizational meeting was called together May 30, to make decisions on the rapidly approaching July 3 street dance.

Cornell City Council president Steve Turany explained the purpose of the meeting was to bring together people interested in Main Street and discuss ways to promote the area.

“We’ve really been lacking a little organization up on Main Street for quite a few years,” said Turany, adding he can’t remember the last time there was a Main Street Committee or anything similar.

Anyone is welcome to be on the committee. They do not have to live or work on Main Street to be part of the group.

“I know there are a lot of good ideas that people have out there,” said Turany.

The topic of the day, was the annual July 3 street dance. “I know there’s already a band booked for the street dance up there,” said Turany, adding there is also a band booked at the Mill Yard Park.

Turany says two things are needed to make the street dance happen on Main Street. First, there needs to be a group to host the dance, in order to apply to have alcohol out on the street. Second, they need to collaborate with those already hosting activities at Mill Yard Park.

Turany says the group’s focus can be as small as getting a picnic license for July 3, with profits after paying costs going toward the rising fireworks costs. He says, if the committee has bigger ideas, they can delegate officers and organize other events throughout the year.

In order to pull off the dance this year, the group needs to have a picnic license application into the city, before the Thursday, June 15, council meeting.

Chris Wolff, co-owner of The Silver Wolff (formerly Big T’s), asked what the requirements of the group applying for a picnic license are.

Cornell Police Chief Glenn Rehberg says the sponsoring organization is responsible for monitoring the premises, setting up the border, carding people and other things like that.

Sandy Shecklman, city council member, co-owner of Huddle Up Pub and ATV club member, says she has a question out to the state, to clarify whether carry-outs from bars are allowed in certain circumstances. She says she will report back to the committee, when she hears back on what the rules and regulations for that are.

Rehberg says he is not familiar with laws that would allow that or what that process would entail, but offered to look into it, too.

“In either case, you’ve still got someone who is ultimately responsible for the licensed sale of alcohol,” said Rehberg.

Turany asked if there were any problems in the past. Rehberg says he can only speak for the past two years, but there were no criminal-type problems.

Shecklman says clean-up is a part of holding an event and is a lot of work.

Wolff asked if anyone there wanted to lead the committee efforts for the street dance.

Wolff says he and the owner of Cornell Bowl have the band booked for Main Street, from 9 p.m. to midnight, for the street dance, since bands need to be booked well in advance.

“Now, we’re going to figure out how to throw a party,” said Wolff.

Bill Kvapil, Huddle Up Pub, city council member and ATV club member, and Shecklman say they won’t be around the day of the street dance this year.

Turany asked the group if they still want two blocks of Main Street blocked off then, or only one. Kvapil says he does not care for this year, but would like it back to two blocks next year. He also says the ATV club is willing to help next year, but there needs to be collaboration among all the businesses and individuals.

Carissa Nelson, S& K Boutique, and Jayde Crabb, Touch of Class, said children’s activities earlier in the day would be nice, near their businesses. Wolff says it is also important to remember there are activities planned at Mill Yard Park already, over that time.

“Down here, they might be doing the exact same thing,” said Wolff.

Turany says, in order to get the street closure request approved, they need to know which blocks they want closed off and over which times, also before the council’s June 15 meeting.

With no takers to lead the committee, Wolff said he would be willing to pursue the picnic license on behalf of the group and coordinate the people needed to pull off the street dance. Main Street business owner Harley Oemig offered to help.

Wolff says he will reach out to other business owners along Main Street and to the organizer of the Mill Yard Park events, with plans to share out information with the other committee members.