Community Family Police

What are the Rules for Drinking Alcohol at Musikfest?

Est. Read Time: 3 mins

With Musikfest about to open in Bethlehem–drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the city over 10 days–Bethlehem Police Chief Mark DiLuzio on Tuesday issued a reminder about the rules for consumption of alcohol at the free festival.

Those rules include:

  1. Not bringing alcohol to Musikfest in cans, bottles or other containers.beer-311090_1280
  2. Not hiding bottles or cans on your body or inside a backpack or other type of bag.
  3. Not refilling Musikfest mugs with liquor or wine at restaurants near the festival, since “Pennsylvania liquor control enforcement laws prohibit anyone from leaving an establishment with liquor or wine,” according to a news release from DiLuzio posted on the police department’s blog.
  4. Not carrying mugs filled with beer from one platz to another, or from the north side of the festival to the south side–although DiLuzio stated that attendees who do this and don’t draw attention to themselves in a negative fashion “will most likely be OK.” He highlighted the fact that no one carrying a mug with beer in it was stopped on the Fahy Bridge (between the north and south sides) during last year’s festival. Still, he said, “the current laws do not allow for anyone to carry an open container of alcohol outside of the Musikfest venues, (and) we suggest that you finish your beer at the Musikfest location you are visiting before traveling to your next location.”

Throughout the news release, DiLuzio urged festival-goers to behave responsibly in order to avoid getting into trouble.

Bethlehem police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel will be assigned to or patroling all the venues (with some police on horseback), and will be available to assist anyone who needs help and to enforce the law.

“Every year, arrests do happen at Musikfest,” DiLuzio said. “Needless to say, your behavior has to stand out from the crowd in order for you to be arrested during the festival. That being said, we would appreciate your cooperation. We want everyone to enjoy themselves and have a good time, right up to the point when it is time to go home. All we are asking for is your cooperation, so that your visit to Musikfest is remembered as a safe and enjoyable experience.”

According to the news release, the highest percentage of arrests made during last year’s festival was for disorderly conduct.

“This is primarily used for people who are disturbing the peace, physically fighting, yelling obscenities towards others and creating problems,” DiLuzio said. “(This) type of behavior will not be tolerated and will result in your arrest.”

Police said they will also be on the lookout for underage individuals consuming alcohol; for people who are “passed out, vomiting or who can barely walk” (citations for public drunkenness could be issued to anyone in that category); and for drivers who are operating vehicles while intoxicated.

Authorities reminded fest-goers that parking fines in the city are doubled during Musikfest, to help protect the parking areas used by residents.

“In the years before the increased fines, we had people parking in other people’s driveways, front lawns and sidewalks,” DiLuzio said. “Please be considerate of others when you choose a parking space.”

For Hellertown residents who wish to use public transportation to get home from Musikfest, LANta has said it will run two evening buses (at 7:30 and 11:30 p.m.) from its Broad and Guetter streets (downtown Bethlehem) terminal on weekends only.

Musikfest opens with a preview night on Thursday, Aug. 6 and continues daily through Sunday, Aug. 16.

For more information about this year’s festival and schedules, visit Musikfest.org.

Newsletter

Subscribe to receive our newsletter in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday & Friday.

Please wait...

Thank you for subscribing!

About the author

Josh Popichak

Josh Popichak is the owner, publisher and editor of Saucon Source. A Lehigh Valley native, he's covered local news since 2005 and previously worked for Berks-Mont News and AOL/Patch. Contact him at josh@sauconsource.com.

Leave a Comment