AUBURN — Monday’s liquor license approval guarantees that a midsummer country music festival is coming to the Twin Cities, according to promoters.

Auburn city councilors voted Monday to let promoters Mike Shea and Dean Staffieri serve alcohol in a roped-off area at the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport.

The promoters plan to bring a “Class A” country performer to Lewiston-Auburn in late July or early August. It would be expected to draw between 7,500 and 14,000 people and selling beer is a big part of the plan.

It is sponsored by L/A Harley and radio station 99.9 The Wolf.

Staffieri said Tuesday that the council’s liquor license approval lets them begin negotiating with acts.

“I wish I could say we know who’s coming now, but we don’t,” Staffieri said. “But we know we have a venue now, and that’s been the most important piece.”

Councilors are requiring the promoters to work with Auburn police to make sure alcohol stays out of the hands of anyone younger than 21. The promoters would agree to pay a $100 fine for each drinking violation at the event.

Staffieri said there are still hurdles, including Federal Aviation Administration approval to use the airport.

“We need to look at the specifics of using the airport and we need to look at that, but we are pretty optimistic about it,” he said.

The group continues to look at other sites around Lewiston-Auburn for other shows.

“At this point, we are planning one show,” he said. “If we do more than that, we have not ruled out doing one in Lewiston. We could do one in Auburn and one in Lewiston and see how they go.”

The one- or two-day festival is tentatively set for July 25, July 26 or Aug. 1 and 2 in a lot on airport property east of the runways and south of Constellation Drive. Parking and staging would be in a second lot north of Constellation Drive.

staylor@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link