Libertyville festival aims to help Brainerd fund-raising effort
BY JOHN ROSZKOWSKI jroszkowski@pioneerlocal.com August 22, 2012 4:28PM
The Brainerd building on northeast corner of 176 and Brainerd Avenue in Libertyville. | Mike Schmidt~Sun-Times Media
Updated: September 24, 2012 7:45AM
LIBERTYVILLE — Grounds of the Brainerd Building will be transformed into an outdoor festival featuring fine wines, craft beers, cigars, food, live music and more from 3 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 25.
Local home brewers will also compete in the second annual Besley’s Homebrew Competition for amateur brewers.
Tickets for the event are $30 in advance, $40 at the door. Individuals who purchase tickets get a souvenir glass and up to 10 free taste samplings. For $10, persons can also get a designated driver.
Proceeds from the event will go to support Brainerd Community Center Inc., a non-profit organization that is attempting to raise funds to preserve the former Libertyville High School building as a community center.
The village has a long-term lease agreement with Community High School District 128, which owns the Brainerd property. The Brainerd group has been raising funds to make future lease payments on the property.
The Brainerd organization has until Dec. 1, 2014 to make the first lease payment of $250,000. If the group is unable to raise funds to make the required lease payments, the school district would have the option to terminate the lease with the village and could demolish structures on the property at Brainerd and Park avenues.
Fund-raising efforts have been slow and the group so far has only raised a fraction of the amount needed to make the lease payments.
Mayor Terry Weppler said the Brainerd Community Center group has asked the village about the possibility of placing an advisory referendum on the ballot regarding Brainerd.
Weppler emphasized the referendum would be strictly advisory and would not be binding on the village or involve the issuance of bonds. He said the goal would be to gauge the degree of community support for earmarking public funds toward the Brainerd project. The board agreed to work with the Brainerd group on potential language for a referendum.
To purchase tickets and find more details, see the festival homepage at northshorewinebeerfest.com, or visit www.savebrainerd.org.
