Health officials want to keep fests safe

Warm weather in the High Country brings about wonderful festivals, fairs, and street fests with many opportunities to celebrate. The Appalachian District Health Department is encouraging all groups interested in hosting events in the near future to help us protect the health of the public.

One of the best aspects of a community event is often the interesting array of local foods available to the public. To help reduce the possibility of illness related to food associated with these events, the Appalachian District Health Department's Environmental Health Program provides these tips for following North Carolina public health guidelines

First, event organizers can be prepared by submitting an application to have food available at their public event thirty days prior to the event. Organizers may also add another item to their to-do list by working with the health department in the inspection of the water supplies for the event. To meet the North Carolina Rules Governing the Protection of Water Supplies, the health department will also need event staff to submit water samples no less than thirty (30) days before the event.

In addition, event organizers should ask each food vendor associated with the event to submit the required completed application to the health department at least fifteen days prior to the event. As of July 1, 2008, the vendor application must be accompanied by a fee of fifty dollars ($50). In order to protect the health of the public, food vendors whose applications are not received within the above time frame specified will not be allowed to serve food at the special event. To expedite the process of inspecting food vendors at the special event, event organizers should present a schedule with times requested for vendor inspection fifteen (15) days prior to the event to the health department. Event organizers will be responsible for ensuring food vendors are available for permitting inspections at the time they requested.

Groups interested in hosting a new or repeat event may contact Wendell Fox at the Appalachian District Health Department by phone at our district office at (828) 264-4995 or by email at wfox@apphealth.com with any questions or to receive more information about the special event permitting process.