Government

Town approves permit for ‘Pour the Core’ — with stipulations

Last year's Pour the Core hard cider festival in Cutchogue. (Credit: Cyndi Murray, file)
Last year’s Pour the Core hard cider festival in Cutchogue. (Credit: Cyndi Murray, file)

The Southold Town Board has approved a special events permit for next month’s “Pour the Core” hard cider festival in Cutchogue, but attached stipulations in an effort to address residents’ complaints over the organizer’s previous events.

The Town Board voted 4-2 in favor of issuing the permit at its regular meeting Tuesday night, with Supervisor Scott Russell and Councilman Bill Ruland voting in opposition.

Pour the Core is scheduled for Oct. 4 and is organized by Starfish Junction, a Bay Shore for-profit company. The event is in its third year and is held in the field behind the now defunct Peconic Bay Winery facility in Cutchogue.

Earlier this year, Starfish Junction held two other events requiring special events permits: North Fork Craft Beer Festival and North Fork Potato Festival. During those events, residents complained about traffic and the amount of dust kicked up from the parking fields, Mr. Russell said.

In an effort to address those issues, the Town Board approved Starfish Junction’s special event permit for Pour the Core with some stipulations, including: banning traffic from turning on Stillwater Avenue; having a water truck on site to mitigate any dust; and coordinating with traffic control to direct cars.

“I don’t think that it fits with the spirit of the law,” Mr. Russell said. “This looks like nothing more than a venue on a vacant field. I don’t think the special events legislation is meant for something like this.”

Mr. Russell added most of the products offered at Pour the Core aren’t locally produced.

Councilman Bob Ghosio said he’s in favor of the event because it promotes the agricultural industry and includes local hard cider maker Woodside Orchard in Aquebogue.

“I don’t see this event as out of character for our area,” he said.

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