Not enough time to get liquor permit, event cancelled. Bummer, because Tenant Resource Center would have gotten part of the proceeds.
Autonomous Solidarity Organization
Worker Justice, Social Justice, Global JusticeOctober 5, 2011
The People’s Oktoberfest Indefinitely Postponed
Madison, WI – In light of recent occupation efforts in Wisconsin as well as the city’s new ordinances targeting street festivals the Autonomous Solidarity Organization (ASO) will be indefinitely postponing its planned People’s Oktoberfest for charity.
The People’s Oktoberfest was scheduled for October 15th, 2011 and was planned with the intent of gathering Wisconsinites from across the state to promote the iconic brewing industry of Wisconsin, educate Wisconsinites on important legislation, encourage civil discussions regarding critical issues facing Wisconsinites including the need for more quality living-wage jobs and raise money for several local charities that provide key services in our communities. Much like the People’s Bratfest, it’s sister festival which served nearly 6,000 people and infused the local community with nearly $20,000 between expenditures and charitable donations, the People’s Oktoberfest was designed as a family friendly event with a variety of arts, music and activities for all to enjoy.
The People’s Oktoberfest hoped to further build community interaction and sustain a marketplace of ideas by providing a venue for Wisconsinites to gather and share thoughts on how to best move our state forward with those who really matter in the political process, the people. However, recent changes made to city ordinances prohibited the ASO form obtaining alcohol permits for its primary site, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The ASO’s Chair Bill Fetty stated that, “It is a shame that ordinances passed for the public welfare have prohibited our organization from holding a major event in the heart of our city to benefit local businesses and local communities.” Fetty went on to say “We certainly
hope to work more closely with the city in future so that ordinances such as these, well-intentioned as they might be, do not hurt the charitable, community-building aspects of these types of events. In these economic times our social safety-net needs as much assistance from non-traditional channels as possible.”The ASO had planned to move the event to a secondary location. However, as the occupy movement sweeps across our communities, nation and world and with Madison dates conflicting with the planned Oktoberfest, the ASO feels it prudent to indefinitely postpone the event so its members can autonomously participate in Occupy Madison at any level in which members feel comfortable.
The ASO hopes to hold future events that benefit the communities in which it operates. It is the goal of the ASO to help bring people together in a family-friendly, educational and entertaining environment in order to bring about real changes in their communities.
Autonomous Solidarity Organization
http://asolidarity.org
