Rock County 4-H Fair beer tent. Bartenders, adult patrons say it was a quiet space

JANESVILLE — Bartenders and those enjoying adult beverages in the Rock County 4-H Fair’s first-ever beer tent said on Saturday night it was a low-key and welcomed addition.

Located near the grandstand, admission into the gated beer tent required an ID and a wristband. At two entrances, IDs were checked and drink tokens distributed, and wristbands secured.

Inside were picnic tables, room to stand and a small bar with limited canned drinks like White Claw and Summer Shandy.

Bartenders told the Gazette on Saturday night that despite concerns when the beer tent was approved earlier this year, that it might bring unwanted issues to the otherwise youth and family-focused fair, the week had been uneventful. Bartenders said most people stopped in and had one or two drinks and left.

One bartender said some parents came in while their older children played games or went on rides.

Sarah Young was stationed at one of the two entrances, checking IDs and exchanging money for tokens. Young, whose children show animals at the fair each year, said that overall the beer tent had been a very “low key” atmosphere

She said no one had gotten rowdy.

“It’s really been people coming in for one or two drinks and then heading back out to meet their kids at the carnival,” she said.

Deb Steindl and Haley Reuder sat at one of the picnic tables on Saturday night. They said they understood why people might have been concerned but said in the end, they enjoyed a calm, relaxing atmosphere.

“I feel like it may bring more people in, especially for the shows and concerts,” Reuder said, while acknowledging the concerns about possible excessive drinking at the fair.

Steindl said the change aligned Rock County with other county fairs that already offered beer.

Steindl and Reuder said the price of the beer wasn’t expensive and they liked that people chose before they went in how much they would consume, based on how many tokens they bought.

The city’s alcohol licensing and advisory committee approved the beer tent at the fair earlier this year.

Concerns raised by some committee members included beer garden noise affecting the neighborhood around the fairgrounds and the general precedent that’s being set, that it sent the message that people can’t have fun without alcohol.

Proponents said in March it would be set apart from the rest of the fairgrounds near the grandstand and that beer would not be allowed outside of that designated area.

The Rock County 4-H Fair is the oldest 4-H fair in the United States. Its board had until this year resisted allowing beer at the annual event but said the additional revenue would help the fair remain financially viable.