Beer will pour at Lazy Lobster road race
Racers cross the finish line during the 2017 Lazy Lobster road race. File photo
Wareham's Select Board meets on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Photo by Nick Mossman
Racers cross the finish line during the 2017 Lazy Lobster road race. File photo
Wareham's Select Board meets on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Photo by Nick Mossman
A lobster-themed road race may be making a buzz in Wareham next month.
The annual Lazy Lobster 5 Miler & Festival will be able to serve beer to racers after they cross the finish line on Saturday, Sept. 12.
The Wareham Select Board unanimously approved the race’s event permit and one day wine and malt license during its Tuesday, Aug. 4 meeting. But it was not without hesitation: Multiple Select Board members worried about the safety concerns caused by having racers drink beer at the festival, which will be held near Main Street.
“I like beer. I think most people do, but I don’t like beer near a fast-moving road,” said Select Board member Joseph Still.
Robert Rivers, the race’s director, told the Select Board that the organizers planned to set up a beer garden at the finish line, which is located in the parking lot of the former Decas School. He said staff will begin to distribute beer when the festival starts at 11:00 a.m.
Like Still, select board member Judith Whiteside worried about having exhausted runners try to cross a busy street after drinking.
“I’m sure the speed limit is something like 25 [miles per hour], but that means people go 55. If they’re crossing the street to go to Wareham Crossing to pick up their car, I’m just concerned about the safety of the people who might be drinking liquor after a road race,” she said.
Rivers said “the intent is not to continue to distribute” drinks to the racers. Each racer would exchange their ticket for one drink after finishing the race to control how much alcohol is distributed.
He also said that around 60% of the 94 registered racers were of drinking age.
Still asked Rivers if he had considered moving the beer garden farther from the road. Rivers said that the Lazy Lobster team met with the Wareham Fire Department and Police Department earlier on Aug. 4 to discuss the location and he was willing to move it.
“We are definitely not closed to where our location is,” Rivers said.
Before approving the permit and liquor license, Rivers and the select board agreed to move the location of the beer garden farther from the road.
There is no rain date for the race, so even if the rain pours, the beer will pour with it.
Event Date
