The first city-sanctioned Eureka Springs temporary Entertainment District was in full operation at the privately-owned Pine Mountain Village for the Bikes, Blues, & BBQ event on Sept. 26 – 28. Proper signage was posted indicating the area designated for the ED and security measures were met to supply arm bands for legal alcoholic consumption.
The event was well attended including visits from public officials who were eager to see the fruits of their labor. Alderman Bob Thomas, chair of the ED Committee, was first on the scene to observe the activities. Thomas sought out visitors who were wearing their arm bands and asked them about the new freedom they had to walk around with a drink in the ED.
“The reply almost always was ‘This just feels freer,’” he said. Visitors could carry alcohol through the vendors, to the music stage, to the picnic tables, and to the food trucks. Thomas said he spoke to one of the food truck vendors who was in Eureka for the first time, and that vendor decided to apply for permission to come back for Zombie Crawl.
Just ten days prior, on Sept. 16, city council unanimously approved this first temporary ED. While it took some coaxing for some aldermen to vote Yes, the pivotal factor was the location of the ED in relation to congested downtown. In addition, Police Chief Brian Young had no problem signing off on the ED because it was on private property.
“If a district does not create trouble for an area but makes an area more fun for people and makes people feel more comfortable or free, then the Entertainment District concept is a valuable tool for a tourist town like Eureka Springs,” Thomas said. Ultimately the Pine Mountain location provided easy access off of US 62, plenty of parking, space for vendors, a music stage, easily accessible restrooms, and a large ED for more visitors to drink and be merry.
“That is exactly what we wanted and that is exactly what Pine Mountain Entertainment District gave us,” Thomas said.