The Lowell License Commission on Aug. 14 granted a series of special-event permits and business-license applications and scheduled a public hearing for a new restaurant license at Fiesta Hall.
Key approvals included one-day and multi-hour permits for the following events: a wedding and birthday at the Hellenic Center (Amanda Etinge), the Salvadorian Festival at JFK Plaza (Juan Gonzalez, Aug. 24), the Health and Wellness block party (Lowell Health Department, Sept. 12, rain date Sept. 11), a Lowell Cannabis block party at Patriot Care (Taylor Schlachter, Aug. 23), the Gurjar Heritage Festival at Sampas Pavilion (Maya Shah, Sept. 6), a Mill Church community service at Sampas (Isaac Xavier, Sept. 13) and the Southeast Asian Water Festival at Sampas Pavilion (Eric Sack, Aug. 16).
Attendance estimates and operational notes: Juan Gonzalez said the Salvadorian Festival expects roughly 500 attendees and told commissioners he would arrange for a barricaded liquor-dispensing area and TIP-certified bartenders; Captain Peaslee recommended contacting the detail office and said two officers dedicated to the plaza would be advisable. Maya Shah said the Gurjar Heritage Festival can draw "about 1,200 to 1,500" people at peak times. Eric Sack said the Southeast Asian Water Festival expects "anywhere between 20 and 40,000 people" and described coordination with lifeguards, fire, environmental control and health department staff; Captain Peaslee and Captain Faye described a multi-agency operational plan, including 18–20 officers and mutual-aid assistance, and use of the department's drone unit.
Administrative and small-business licenses: The commission approved an application for a secondhand motor-vehicles (used-car dealer Class 2) license for Adex Auto Exchange LLC (Ibrahim Ade Agbo) at 24 Stedman Street, permitting up to eight cars on site, with an off-site mechanic arrangement for repairs and inspections. The commission also approved a common victualler (restaurant) license application for Max LLC (Ross Petapas) at 176 University Avenue for "Mac's," a fried-chicken-and-pizza concept. Applicants described prior experience operating in retail and food service; motions to approve those licenses were moved and seconded and carried by the commission.
Other actions and scheduling: The commission scheduled a public hearing for a new all-alcohol restaurant license for Fiesta Hall (Salon Solutions Realty, Ariel Furman) on Aug. 28 at 6 p.m., with legal notice to be published. Commissioners agreed to refer a recent state ABCC advisory and Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 138, §12D (allowing local boards to permit wine-and-malt license holders to trade up to an all-alcohol on-premises license without affecting the municipality's quota) to the city law department to draft an amendment to the local regulations.
Why it matters: Several permitted events have large crowds or alcohol service; commissioners stressed coordination with the police detail office and event operators, and the city discussed use of police drone assets and mutual-aid staffing for the busiest events. Business-license approvals will allow new retail and restaurant operations to open downtown.