Leesburg city commissioners passed a resolution Monday night to issue a special event permit for alcohol sales during BikeFest 2024.
The permit will be issued to the Leesburg Area Chamber of Commerce Inc., a Florida not-for-profit corporation which will run the alcohol concessions during BikeFest.
City Manager Al Minner recommended that the city partner with the Chamber as the city is barred from collecting proceeds from alcohol sales in the city’s general revenue accounts by Florida law. The Chamber would work with other non-profit organizations to staff festival points of sale for the alcoholic beverages. Minner estimated that the Chamber would expend approximately $125,000 which would include tent rentals, insurance, equipment rental and alcohol purchase. He thought that the total cost to the city would be near $500,000 and would be covered by revenue generated by the festival.Â
In years past, the Leesburg Partnership ran BikeFest but that group has disbanded and the city has opted to run BikeFest. The primary emphasis according to Minner was to keep funds collected and expended locally to benefit the community. He noted that in past years a number of local non-profits received substantial funds from BikeFest and by working with the Chamber the city would be able to use the Chamber’s experience in running similar activities.
BikeFest will be held April 26-28.
