
The Berkley Days Committee is working to determine what the next event will look like after the city banned carnivals following two consecutive years of fighting incidents at Berkley Days.
File photo by Donna Dalziel
BERKLEY — It’s been several months since the city of Berkley effectively decided to ban carnivals, bringing an end to the current iteration of Berkley Days.
In September, the Berkley City Council passed a resolution to ban carnivals from taking place in town. This came after two consecutive years of fights that had broken out at Berkley Days.
Berkley Days previously hosted a multiday carnival in May with thousands of residents and visitors flocking to attend it. Now, the organizers aren’t sure what will become of the event.
“We have not figured out what we’re doing yet,” Berkley Days Committee Chair Denise Downen said. “We’re still talking and kind of working through what we are/are not going to be doing.”
Downen stated they might partner with other organizations to put on the event, but nothing has officially been decided on what will take place.
“If we decide to hold an event that requires city assistance, then we’ll have to present it to (City Council) and get their approval,” she said. “If we do something independently, like, say we partner with the American Legion and it’s on their property or in their building, then we don’t need city approval. So it’s really all going to depend on what we decide to do.”
Downen said it’s been difficult for the committee to determine what this event will be, but she did state that she doesn’t see it being called “Berkley Days.”
“I know that there was comments at that last meeting when they banned the carnivals that some of the City Council members were like, you know, we’d love to see how you reimagine Berkley Days. And quite honestly, none of us see an event called Berkley Days that’s going to take place,” she said. “I feel like, without the carnival, it’s going to lose the attendance, even from our residents. So anything we do moving forward is going to be presented by the Berkley Days Association, but it’ll be a completely different event.”
Council member Clarence Black was the lone person from council who voted no on the resolution. Black felt that, as an active member of the Army Reserve, the fighter in him didn’t want to see the actions of others push out the carnival.
Though Black said this might make him naive, he expressed that part of the challenge as a council member and leader in the city was that they should try to figure out a way to get something done.
With a carnival not taking place, Black stated his belief that the committee will be able to come up with an event the city can enjoy.
“We just executed WinterFest. It was amazing. There wasn’t any problems. It was a great turnout,” he said. “I was there with my wife and I saw people having a great time. So I think that’s what’s great about our community. We do these things and I think when people see that spirit, they want to be a part of it. I trust our Berkley Days committee to come up with something that is in keeping with who we are and the things that we like to do and celebrate just like they always do.”