The LCB Tries to Screw Up Musikfest Because They are D#$ks

So, as anyone and everyone knows, if you carry a Musikfest mug on the streets of Bethlehem (well, the streets where Musikfest is officially being held) and it’s filled with alcohol and you’re not falling over drunk, you’re ok.

Why? Because the Bethlehem PD (and their twittering horse counterparts) understands that waiving the open container law during this time period allows Musikfest to flourish.

Why? Because by waiving the law for a week, they allow people to get drunk outside and make rash decisions in terms of buying crap. See, if they were inside getting drunk the whole time, they wouldn’t be drunk by some of the vendors and wouldn’t be whipping out their credit cards to buy crappy sunglasses or sterling silver rings for their new girlfriends. Just saying.

Besides, would you really buy all those speedies from Hogar Crea if you were sober? No, you wouldn’t

ok ok read on…

As Musikfest grows near, the folks at Bethlehem Brew Works work like indentured servants to brew up enough of the cold sudsy stuff to satisfy the thirsty crowds that flock to the Christmas City to see the likes of Heart and Lynard Skynard.

They and other downtown taverns happily fill festival-goers’ Musikfest mugs and offer frosty ales in plastic pint cups, to go.

That was until Friday, said Brew Works co-owner Rich Fegley. State Liquor Control Enforcement officers warned bar owners that the rules had changed and they would no longer be able to sell beer in take-out cups at any time during the festival, he said.

“For 12 years the enforcement has allowed patrons to take beer they purchased onto the streets,” Fegley said.

Distressed Bethlehem restaurant and tavern owners complied with the change, but hastily convened a summit at the Hotel Bethlehem Saturday afternoon with Liquor Control Enforcement and city, Fegley said. There’s big money at stake for the downtown bars and restaurants.

Liquor control officials explained the law, and the upshot was that for now, the bars plan to continue filling the mugs and plastic cups until at least Monday, Fegley said, when top Liquor Control Enforcement officials are back in the office and can clarify the rules.

Bethlehem Police Commissioner Stuart Bedics said State Liquor Control Enforcement officers’ warnings relate to a ruling in a 1994 case involving Rippers Pub that he admits is less than clear. City police had nothing to do with the warnings, he said, and customarily waive the city’s standard prohibition on carrying open alcoholic beverages during Musikfest.

Fegley said his downtown eatery has rung up as much as $15,000 in beer purchases on a peak Musikfest day, and about half of that probably consists of “to-go” sales. It’s a very important period for the business, he said. Source

Why did this happen? I guarantee you some LCB big shot just decided to wake up and be an asshole and go “hmm, how can I get my sad rocks off today? Oh, I’ll just fuck with one million people’s beers.” That’s a good way to get your house TP’ed just saying.

The cops aren’t going to arrest anyone. I can tell you that. And I don’t see the LCB enforcing this law when there are literally thousands of people who are either just not going to be aware of it or are going to ignore it because… well… in a group of about 500 people, you can ignore it.

Great job though, LCB, and… it was a nice shot. Go back to continuing to make Pennsylvania the most screwed state up when it comes to alcohol sales. You make all our friends from other states laugh at us every time we go to a 7-11. Just saying.