Tourist Commission Okays Contract With Rotary For Oktoberfest Beer Sales
The Harrodsburg Herald/Robert Moore
Dennis and Nancy Ginn toasted downtown Harrodsburg at Oktoberfest in 2022. The three day free festival returns from Friday, Sept. 26, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 27.
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
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The Harrodsburg-Mercer County Tourist Commission has approved a contract with the Rotary Club of Harrodsburg to manage all aspects of alcohol sales during Oktoberfest, including training and purchasing alcohol.
The Rotary Club will cover all of the upfront costs, which are expected to be in the $20,000-$25,000 range. The Rotary Club and Tourist Commission have discussed an amount to be split on proceeds from alcohol sales, so that it is beneficial to both organizations. The tourist commission would retain approval for purchases pertaining to alcohol over a certain amount as well. Oktoberfest is scheduled to run from Friday, Sept. 26, through Saturday, Sept. 27.
At their regular meeting on Wednesday, May 14, Daarik Gray, executive director of the tourist commission, said they will include contracts for every sponsorship they give out in the upcoming fiscal year.
The contract with the Rotary Club specifies financial reporting, which became more relevant when it was revealed that several members of the former Oktoberfest committee also belong to the Rotary Club. Gray was asked if he knew what the alcohol sales had been at the previous Oktoberfest events, but he said he was unable to get those numbers as he hasn’t been given access to the files/financials from the previous Oktoberfest organization. Judge Executive Sarah Steele who was at the tourist commission meeting said she had been provided with some financials from previous events, which showed the profits from alcohol sales ranging anywhere from $35,000 to $58,000 between 2019 to 2023. Financials for the 2024 event were not available.
Kaitlyn Harder, who formerly served as executive director of Harrodsburg First before being hired as community development and events coordinator for the tourist commission, said they had paid Kentucky Eagle $20,000 and got $8,500 back during last year’s Oktoberfest.
“If they provided the information we asked for, we wouldn’t be in this situation now,” said board member John Holiday, who attended the meeting remotely.
“We’re taking a shot in the dark,” Holiday said.
Gray said time is of the essence for the tourist commission, which has taken over all of the events that Harrodsburg First used to organize, including Friday Nights On Main as well as the Halloween on Main in October and Christmas On Main event in December. The tourist commission has also taken over paying for and arranging the downtown flowers.
“We are swamped,” Gray said.
“We either have to find an organization to help us, or we have to do it,” Gray said. The Rotary Club has been handling beer pouring at Oktoberfest since the beginning. Gray said the board members would have to assist if they didn’t approve the contract.
“We can’t wait until the middle of June,” Gray said.
Harrodsburg First/Downtown Harrodsburg dissolved at the end of last year.
During a series of meetings, Gray said the tourist commission didn’t feel the financial information presented was adequate.
It was also noted that while there was overlap in the memberships of both Harrodsburg First/Downtown Harrodsburg and the Harrodsburg Rotary Club, there were also membership overlaps with many other organizations.
Harder suggested the tourist commission get access to Square readers used by the Rotary Club, which would provide some information.
“It’s a one-year contract,” said tourist commission board member Leigh Lopez, who also serves as the secretary. If the tourist commission was not satisfied with the Rotary Club after this year’s Oktoberfest, Lopez said, “They don’t get to do it again.”
“We have to trust people at some point to get things done in this community,” said Gray. He said he had met with Mike Harden and Will Begley of the Rotary Club. It was also noted that 100 percent of the profits made by the Rotary Club go directly back into the community.
“They’ve done it. They’ve already got a lot of them that have had their STARS training,” Gray said. “This is not a little task.”
The tourist commission is asking the Rotary Club for all purchase receipts as well as access to the Square Reader information. The two organizations are meeting to discuss if other alcohol vendors will be allowed at Oktoberfest, however, a decision has not been made yet.
The tourist commission will purchase wristbands and cups, which allows them to sell sponsorships. The Rotary Club will purchase alcohol, tickets, and STARS training.
Gray said he would make the suggested changes and have them reviewed by the tourist commission’s attorney.
On Tuesday, the board also approved revisions to the tourist commission’s 2025-2026 budget to account for the Rotary agreement. They gave second reading to the $1.2 million budget, which includes total marketing expenses of $973,800, including $400,000 for sponsorships and $130,000 for phase I of a proposed infrastructure project.
Gray said the commission will start sending out letters to event organizers to let them know if they received funding and how much they received.
In other business, Wednesday was the last meeting for Chairwoman Joan Huffman, who is cycling off the board. Huffman has served five years on the board and has also been involved with tourism as manager at Old Fort Harrod State Park and served on the board for Harrodsburg First. Huffman also has a reputation for cooking delicious treats, which are served after board meetings are over.
“This has been an honor,” Huffman said, whose term officially ends on June 30, 2025.
Nikki Elliott, who has served as the vice-chair for the current fiscal year, will serve as chair starting at the next regular meeting of the Harrodsburg-Mercer County Tourist Commission, which will be held on Wednesday, June 11, at 9 a.m. at Diamond Point Welcome Center (488 Price Avenue).
Joan Huffman and Leslie Mayes at Oktoberfest in 2024. (File image).
