What is known about Boomtown, amid the fog.

I'm going to tell you some things I know about the Boomtown festival, coming downtown on Sunday, May 24. If the following reports appear scant and contradictory, it's because I'm restricting sources to those that are open and public (yesterday's merchant meeting) or ones disclosed directly to me (the Flea Off e-mail). 

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We learned yesterday that the city of New Albany has ceded event planning sovereignty to the Louisville's musical promotions firm Production Simple as it pertains to control of alcoholic beverage vending at this year's second Boomtown show, slated for Sunday, May 24.

David Duggins told yesterday's Merchant Meeting attendees that last year's consortium of local businesses operating under the aegis of an NABC catering permit for the occasion, a group now formally chartered as the New Albany Restaurant & Bar Association, would not be repeated this year. No reason was offered for this.

Rather, in 2015 Production Simple will utilize its "preferred" and "professional" beverage caterer from Louisville, the name of which Duggins conceded he could not remember, although he repeated the word "professional" several times, and explained the caterer is "local" by virtue of having a warehouse located in New Albany.

In addition, the Louisville street bazaar known as Flea Off returns to Boomtown in 2015. Yesterday Duggins told the merchants that while local alcoholic alcoholic beverage vendors would be excluded from participation, local restaurants could contact Flea Off and register to serve food, even though a representative of Flea Off recently declaimed responsibility for both food and drink in an e-mail to the author.

Duggins also noted that while Flea Off vendors typically pay for their space, the city of New Albany has negotiated a special deal, and local retail stores and other entities will be allowed free booth space for Boomtown. Finally, the band Houndmouth will not be performing this year, as it did in 2014 at the conclusion of Boomtown, although the Houndmouth "brand" still fully backs Boomtown.

Now, many of you have asked me about beer for Boomtown and other summer events (Bicentennial Park concert series, July 3 fireworks, et al). Remembering that I'm on leave of absence from NABC in order to campaign for mayor, and have referred communications to others within the company, all I can say is that little is known to me or them. In short, the situation is almost completely opaque.

Unofficially, I am told that NABC beer will be sold by the "professional" caterer at Boomtown, but because no one knows who it is, and the level of craft beer commitment it possesses, there is simply no way for me to predict its offerings or how much it cares about craft. This, too, is opaque.

As to what happens when the concert series begins on Friday, June 5, it's also anyone's guess about vendors and beverage choices. As of this writing, no information has been forthcoming for public attribution, and there is no way of knowing whether local vendors will be involved, or Production Simple's "professional" caterer, or an entity yet to be revealed.

Frustrated by the persistent fog?

Trust me. I know how it feels. That's why I'm running for mayor in the first place.

Boomtown Ball today, Houndmouth tonight ... and Flea Off, bands, beer and things.

Houndmouth says: Come out all day to Boomtown Ball and pick up one of these amazing Madpixel Art and Design prints. Only 200 available."

If you haven't already heard, Houndmouth's evening show at The Grand tonight is sold out. But there will be eight hours of merriment before that, free of cover charge.

Houndmouth curated the musical lineup, and Production Simple did the rest. The Flea Off Market will run inside the enlarged all-ages "beer garden" area, within which there'll be food and ...

The Boomtown Tavern is a cooperative venture between NABC, JR's Pub, Irish Exit, Feast BBQ and 502 Winery, with a percentage of proceeds helping to start our New Albany food and drink non-profit. Outside the fenced-in festival area, many downtown shops and eateries will be open, some of them observing special hours.

At Bank Street Brewhouse, we've scheduled an unveiling.

Houndmouth bombers are the first bottling of what is projected to be regular 22-oz availability for NABC's Session Series (also Beak's Best Bitter, Community Dark and Tafelbier) of low-gravity beers. These will be sold exclusively at our two locations, so look for them later this summer.

Don't forget that in less than a week, on Friday, May 30, this summer's concert series (staged by Production Simple) begins at Bicentennial Park. NABC will be vending at the park, along with River City Winery, Irish Exit and JR's Pub.

Meanwhile, a block away ...

Big Four Burgers joins forces with NABC for Friday evening food at Bank Street Brewhouse

Beginning on Friday, May 30, Big Four Burgers will have its new mobile burger trailer parked outside Bank Street Brewhouse on the very same Fridays as the concert series. Burger hours will be from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., allowing music lovers to have a Big Four burger and NABC progressive pint before or after the musical performances just down the street.

Here is a rough sketch of the Boomtown Ball site plan for May 25, with explanation.

(April 29 update: All about the bands slated to perform on the outdoor stage)

To understand how the Boomtown Ball on May 25 is to be done, it helps to be acquainted with Indiana's Alcohol & Tobacco Commission.

The ATC licenses and regulates any business that serves beverage alcohol. Integral to the ATC's operational philosophy is the concept of a floor or site plan -- basically, a map showing the ATC one's everyday bricks and mortar business layout.

The very same idea applies to temporary serving permits for temporary events, and so when the idea of the Boomtown Ball was being minted this winter, and the decision was made to include alcoholic beverages as part of the plan, the range of possibilities immediately narrowed. If alcoholic beverages are to be vended, in this case with NABC acting as master caterer and procurer of the requisite supplemental catering permit, certain fundamentals must be observed.

As the entity applying for the permit, it is NABC's (read: my) job to follow the ATC rules and be sure the pertinent legalities are observed, and it's something we take seriously. Hence, the site plan pictured above, which was submitted with the standard application. The beverage vending will be done by NABC and a team of downtown ATC permit holders; stay tuned for further information.

An event like this must be enclosed, generally by being fenced, with the familiar orange or green plastic utility fencing being the ATC's preference. There can be various points of entry and exit, but alcoholic beverages can not be carried in or out, meaning there usually must be personnel manning these points (as city police do during the Bicentennial Park concert series). If the greater expanse of the fenced grounds is to be occupied by all ages, then the bar area itself must be enclosed and allow only persons 21 and over to enter. Those of legal age can purchase beverages at the bar, and carry them into the all-ages area.

From the inception of Boomtown Ball, Houndmouth (the band), Production Simple (the music agent) and the city conceived of a Sunday street festival with music, the Flea Off Market's diverse booths, and both food and beverages. The original idea was to locate it on Market and Pearl Streets, but this proved to be too difficult a fit, for two reasons: First, from the standpoint of the ATC's licensing needs, and second, because it would have blocked access to existing independent businesses located on these two streets, which needed to have the opportunity to participate if desired.

It was suggested that the event be moved to the vicinity of the farmers market, and as the diagram shows, this radically simplifies the required layout, as well as impacting far fewer local businesses; in fact, the shops on the ground floor of the Odd Fellows building and near them on Bank Street will not be blocked by booths within the adjacent enclosure, will have full access near the event entry portals, and should nicely benefit from the patronage of the event's attendees, should they choose to open.

Meanwhile, current ATC permit holders (Habana Blues, the Frenchman, Toast and maybe La Bocca, if it's up and running again) on The Grand's short block of Market Street can conduct their business normally while drawing increased trade from the Boomtown Ball attendees, especially as ticket holders for the Houndmouth indoor show at The Grand begin arriving. Pearl Street remains open, not shut off and with businesses blocked, as it would have been at first.

I'm explaining these things in this forum for a variety of reasons.

To help spread the word.

To familiarize readers with some of the esoteric factors that lie behind the plans for events like the Boomtown Ball.

To reiterate that New Albany's indie business community downtown is "cool" of its own merit.

To note that on the 25th, there'll be ample opportunity for these downtown businesses to shine for what should be good crowds.

To ask for better overall communication between the various downtown stakeholders, all of the time.

As observed previously, there are two meetings scheduled this coming week: Sons and daughters of the former Merchant Mixer on Tuesday, and drinks purveyors on Wednesday (if you are among the latter and wish to attend, please let me know).

At both of these gatherings, a prime topic of discussion will be how to make localism as much a part of the Boomtown Ball event as humanly possible, both on the day of the show itself and the week preceding it, which we're calling Houndmouth Week as a working title, or some such.

Please stay tuned, and I'll tell you what I know, as I know it.

Boomtown Ball & Festival details: Of bands, businesses and beers.

For those who've been asking about the music at Boomtown Ball, this graphic released by the city provides a list of performers.

Among the details implied by "more" will be adult libations (beer, wine drinks) with NABC and other downtown drinks purveyors, as well as something quite important that keeps getting lost: By moving the original site plan to the farmers market (remember, temporary alcohol serving areas must be fenced in) and keeping Pearl and the block of Market (by The Grand) open, those year-round local businesses occupying these prime addresses have the choice of being open for business on the 25th, and being part of the fun.

There are two meetings scheduled this coming week: Merchants confab on Tuesday, and drinks purveyors on Wednesday. At both of these gatherings, a prime topic of discussion will be how to make localism as much a part of the Boomtown event as humanly possible, both on the day of the show itself and the week preceding it (Houndmouth Week, or some such).

Boomtown concept originators Houndmouth (the band) and the city of New Albany are correct in imagining that it will be a well-attended festival. It took a bit of tweaking to bring the concept into focus, and all parties involved deserve credit for listening and adapting along the way. As such, Sunday the 25th of May is the ideal opportunity to show off what we have to offer all of the time, in addition to the Boomtown-only program, and any such effort simply must be led by the merchants and food and drink purveyors themselves.

I believe it is going to be a good event, and the run-up starts now.