Gord Bamford performs at Music in the Park in 2018. (Photo via Tourism Kamloops)

The City of Kamloops is looking into whether alcohol sales could be possible at this year’s Music in the Park event.

The pitch has been made by councillor Bill Sarai, who says staff are looking into what might be required to make it possible.

“My broader picture of it would be like a beer garden type of venue, inside and around Music in the Park, where people can enjoy music, have a glass of wine and a beer. Some of those funds could maybe help us attract bigger name [musical] groups,” Sarai told Radio NL in an interview on Wednesday.

Sarai suggests Tourism Kamloops could take the lead on the sales front.

“Tourism Kamloops is all over it, because they have a sea-can. They have the resources. A lot of their staff have Serving It Right,” noted Sarai.

Sarai admits there a number of potential issues, including whether permits would be required, or whether bylaws could be changed, on top of insurance and clean-up.

However, he argues Kamloops is mature enough to handle a change like this.

“I look back at and we hear it all the time…Sandman Centre wasn’t allowing beer sales, alcohol sales at all, for any Blazers games. [When the rules changed] everybody was panicking that there was going to be brawls in the stands and the game’s going to get delayed. It hasn’t happened,” suggested Sarai.

As Music in the Park only runs until the end of August, Sarai concedes the concept — if feasible — might not have the time to be activated this year.

However, he suggests the concept doesn’t have to be only for this year.

“If we had a controlled, regulated environment, where, when its gonna be 40 degrees or 38 in the evening, and there’s some really nice CCR playing, why wouldn’t you want a nice, cold beer while you’re enjoying the Music in the Park.”