Unruly minors targeted at Thursday Night Live

Jefferson City's Thursday Night Live began without major troubles, but coordinators intend to curtail attendance by unaccompanied minors, according to event director Jill Snodgrass.

She cited concerns regarding the possession of alcohol by minors within the festival district.

Thursday Night Live began in June 2009. The Temporary Open Container Ordinance, enacted in April 2011, permits adults older than 21 to consume alcohol outdoors within the geographical "festival district" boundaries.

A "few fights" between unaccompanied minors at last week's event highlighted the potential safety hazards caused by unsupervised attendance of youths younger than 16, Snodgrass said.

"It's typical behavior of that age group, but not something we want to condone at Thursday Night Live," she said.

Characterizing the event as "family friendly," Snodgrass desires only to discourage attendance by unaccompanied minors, not those enjoying the event with their guardians.

"When alcohol is involved, parents have to keep track of their kids. We want to keep it a family event," she said.

Organizers of Thursday Night Live already employ a private security company to ensure order at the event; however, they will now require more rigorous ID checks at all entrances.

"This is a music event appropriate for families to socialize with other families. We want to be proactive for everyone's safety," Snodgrass said.