Berlin’s New Special Event Deadline Next Week

BERLIN– As the new special event request deadline nears, town officials say they’ve already received applications for the majority of Berlin’s events.

Ivy Wells, Berlin’s economic development director, said this week she’d already received event applications from hosts of nearly all of the town’s regular special events. The deadline to submit applications for a 2018 special event in Berlin is Sept. 1.

“If someone is maybe on the fence and thinking about holding an event, it’s best to at least fill out the paperwork as tentative,” Wells said.

In June, town leaders approved a new policy outlining the event approval process and associated restrictions. The document, which was developed over the course of several months, is meant to streamline the special event approval process as more and more organizations want to host activities in Berlin. The policy mandates that special event requests be submitted between July 1 and Sept. 1. It also states that only one event requiring town services can be scheduled on a given day.

While the town administrator may authorize non-alcohol events that have a good history with the town, new events and those involving alcohol will be reviewed by the town council.

“The events we’ve done consistently, the council is comfortable having staff manage those events,” said Laura Allen, the town administrator.

Wells said this week she’d already received applications for the events hosted annually by the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee, the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum. She stressed that any organization interested in hosting an event in Berlin next year had to have an application submitted by Sept. 1.

Allen said that staff would begin reviewing the applications once the deadline had passed and that the council would consider those requiring council approval this fall.

Though the event policy and associated deadline is new, Wells says she’s not heard complaints from any of the organizations that host events in Berlin.

“They’re actually supportive because they love the fact we’ll be able to market the dates (of their events) to holiday shoppers,” she said.

Wells explained that by having a complete list of the coming year’s events in the fall, she’d be able to print it on the rack cards distributed during the holiday shopping season and would also be able to submit all of the event dates to the state for its tourism calendar. She invited anyone with questions as the new deadline nears to contact her office.

“I’m happy to help,” she said.

About The Author: Charlene Sharpe

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Charlene Sharpe has been with The Dispatch since 2014. A graduate of Stephen Decatur High School and the University of Richmond, she spent seven years with the Delmarva Media Group before joining the team at The Dispatch.