Lake Forest Approves Alcohol Sales At Beach

LAKE FOREST, IL — Lake Forest beachgoers will be able to purchase alcohol at Forest Park Beach as part of a pilot program starting next month. The Lake Forest City Council Monday unanimously approved granting a liquor license to the current lakefront food and drink vendors.

But the license comes with quite a few strings attached.

It will remain forbidden to bring your own adult beverages to the beach. Only wine and beer can be sold and only between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. from July 1 through the end of September. Drinks also must be sold in approved containers and consumed in a designated area.

Plus, the license must be renewed every month, Daily North Shore reported.

According to an announcement from the Lake Forest Park District, the new ordinance is a response to requests from residents over the past several years. Staff will review the program ("including data on sales and demographics") after Oct. 1 and report back to the city council in the fall.

Beachgoers will only be able to buy drinks from the approved seller and they must imbibe within "eyeshot" of the north pavilion they can be supervised by the vendors, the Lake Forest city attorney told DNS, describing the move as "baby steps." As a result, drinking will only be allowed on a small portion of the actual beach.

Lake Forest's park director predicted an increase in police presence as the pilot program gets underway. But for the most part, the beverage vendors will be left responsible for complying with the new ordinance, providing plastic cups and making sure drinkers stay in the permitted area, DNS reported.

» Read more from Steve Sadin for Daily North Shore

Top photo: Forest Park Beach | City of Lake Forest