2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 60. State Control of Alcoholic Liquors › Article 7. Licenses to Private Clubs › §60-7-8a. Special License for a Private Fair and Festival; Licensee Fee and Application; License Fee; License Subject to Provisions of Article; Exception

(a) There is hereby created a special license designated Class S2 private fair and festival license for the retail sale of alcoholic liquors and nonintoxicating beer, and nonintoxicating craft beer for on-premises consumption.
(b) To be eligible for the license authorized by subsection (a) of this section, the private fair and festival or other event shall:
(1) Be sponsored, endorsed, or approved by the governing body or its designee of the county or municipality in which the private fair and festival or other event is located;
(2) Make application with the commissioner at least 15 days prior to the private fair, festival, or other event;
(3) Pay a nonrefundable non-prorated license fee of $500; and
(4) Be approved by the commissioner to operate the private fair, festival, or other event. (c) A private fair and festival license under this section shall be for a duration of no more than 10 consecutive days.
(d) Nonintoxicating beer and nonintoxicating craft beer sold, furnished, tendered, or served for on-premises consumption by the private fair and festival pursuant to the license created by this section shall be purchased from licensed distributors that service the area in which the private fair and festival is held or from a resident brewer acting in a limited capacity as a distributor, all in accordance with 11-16-1
et seq
. of this code. Sealed containers of nonintoxicating beer or nonintoxicating craft beer may be sold for off-premises consumption if the nonintoxicating beer and nonintoxicating craft beer is being sold by an authorized brewer or resident brewer, as set forth in 11-16-6a(d) of this code, who manufactures the nonintoxicating beer or nonintoxicating craft beer in this state. The off-premises consumption sales shall be made pursuant to a written agreement between the private fair and festival and an authorized brewer or resident brewer. Prior to the start of the private fair or festival, an authorized brewer or resident brewer who agrees to offer off-premises consumption sales of their nonintoxicating beer or nonintoxicating craft beer from a booth or other facility on the private fair and festival's licensed premises must meet the requirements of 11-16-6a(d) of this code. The written agreement with each authorized brewer or resident brewer shall account for lawful sales of nonintoxicating beer and nonintoxicating craft beer sold for off-premises consumption as set forth in 11-16-1
et seq
. of this code. The authorized and approved brewer, resident brewer, or its licensed representatives may give or sell approved promotional items to private fair and festival members and guests, but not to the private fair and festival's volunteers, independent contractors, or employees.
(e) Wine or hard cider sold, furnished, tendered, or served for on-premises consumption by the private fair and festival pursuant to the license created by this section shall be purchased from a licensed wine or hard cider distributoror farm winery in accordance with 60-8-1
et seq
. of this code and 60-8A-1
et seq
. of this code, as applicable. Sealed containers of wine or hard cider may be sold for off-premises consumption if the wine or hard cider is is being sold by an authorized winery or farm winery, as set forth in 60-4-3b(m) and 60-8A-5(c) of this code, who manufactures that wine or hard cider in this state. The off-premises consumption sales shall be made pursuant to a written agreement between the private fair and festival and an authorized winery or farm winery. An authorized winery or farm winery who agrees to offer their wine or hard cider for off-premises consumption sales from a booth or other facility on the private fair and festival's licensed premises prior to the start of the private fair or festival shall meet the requirements of 60-4-3b(m) and 60-8A-5(c) of this code, as applicable. The written agreement with each authorized winery or farm winery shall account for lawful sales of wine or hard cider sold for off-premises consumption as set forth in 60-8-1
et seq
. of this code and 60-8A-1
et seq
. of this code, as applicable. The authorized and approved winery, farm winery or its licensed representatives may give or sell approved promotional items to private fair and festival members and guests, but not to the private fair and festival's volunteers, independent contractors, or employees.
(f) Liquor sold, furnished, tendered, or served for on-premises consumption by the private fair and festival pursuant to the license created by this section shall be purchased from a licensed retail liquor outlet in the market zone or contiguous market zone where the private fair or festival is occurring, all in accordance with 60-3A-1
et seq
. of this code. Sealed containers of liquor may be sold for off-premises consumption if the liquor is being sold by an authorized distillery, mini-distillery, or micro-distillery, as set forth in 60-4-3a of this code, who manufactures their liquor in this state. Off-premises consumption sales shall comply with 60-3A-17 of this code and 60-4-3a(c) of this code shall not apply to these sales. The off-premises consumption sales shall be made pursuant to a written agreement between the private fair and festival and an authorized distillery, mini-distillery, or micro-distillery. An authorized licensed distillery, mini-distillery, or micro-distillery who agrees to offer off-premises consumption sales of their manufactured liquor from a booth or other facility on the private fair and festival's licensed premises prior to the start of the private fair, festival, or other event must meet the requirements as set forth in 60-4-3a of this code. The written agreement with each authorized distillery, mini-distillery, or micro-distillery shall account for lawful sales of liquor sold for off-premises consumption as set forth in 60-3A-1 of this code. An authorized and approved distillery, mini-distillery, micro-distillery or its licensed representatives may give or sell approved promotional items to private fair and festival members and guests, but not to the private fair and festival's volunteers, independent contractors, or employees.
(g) A licensee authorized by this section may use bona fide employees, volunteers or in limited circumstances licensed representatives to sell, furnish, tender, or serve the nonintoxicating beer, nonintoxicating craft beer, wine, liquor, or hard cider.
(h) Licensed representatives of an authorized and approved brewer, resident brewer, beer distributor, wine distributor, wine supplier, winery, farm winery, distillery, mini-distillery, micro-distillery, and liquor broker representatives may attend a private fair and festival and discuss their respective products but shall not engage in the selling, furnishing, tendering, or serving of any nonintoxicating beer, nonintoxicating craft beer, wine, hard cider, or liquor. However, licensed representatives of a brewer, resident brewer, winery, farm winery, distillery, mini-distillery, or micro-distillery that has agreed in writing to conduct sampling and off-premises consumption sales of their respective licensee's products at the private fair and festival, may discuss their respective products and engage in the limited giving of complimentary samples in accordance with 11-16-6a (c) and (d), 60-4-3a (a) and (b), and 60-4-3b (b) and (m) of this code; and the selling of sealed bottles or cans of their respective nonintoxicating beer, nonintoxicating craft beer, wine, hard cider, or liquor products for off-premises consumption. All taxes and fees must be paid on lawful sales.
(i) A license issued under this section and the licensee are subject to all other provisions of this article and the rules and orders of the commissioner:
Provided
, That the commissioner may by rule or order allow certain waivers or exceptions with respect to those provisions, rules, or orders as the circumstances of each private fair and festival require, including without limitation, the right to revoke or suspend immediately any license issued under this section prior to any notice or hearing, notwithstanding 60-7-13a of this code:
Provided, however
, That under no circumstances may the provisions of 60-7-12 of this code be waived or an exception granted with respect thereto.
(j) Dual licensing is permitted for private fairs and festivals pursuant to 60-7-2a of this code.
(k) A private fair and festival licensee who executes a written agreement with a licensed brewer, resident brewer, winery, farm winery, distillery, mini-distillery, micro-distillery, or their licensed representatives is jointly liable and responsible for any violations of this article.
(l) A private fair and festival licensee who executes a written agreement with a licensed brewer, resident brewer, winery, farm winery, distillery, mini-distillery, or micro-distillery to conduct limited off-premises consumption sales shall not have any pecuniary interest, share, or percentage in any sales of sealed nonintoxicating beer, nonintoxicating craft beer, wine, hard cider, or liquor.
(m) A private fair and festival licensee who executes a written agreement with a licensed brewer, resident brewer, winery, farm winery, distillery, mini-distillery, or micro-distillery to conduct limited off-premises consumption sales may charge them a flat booth rental fee.
(n) A private fair and festival licensee, licensed brewer, resident brewer, winery, farm winery, distillery, mini-distillery, micro-distillery, or their licensed representatives who permits members or guests to consume, on the private fair and festival's licensed premises, any nonintoxicating beer, nonintoxicating craft beer, wine, hard cider, or liquor, that was purchased as an off-premises consumption sale, shall have their respective license immediately suspended, and that conduct is grounds for revocation of their license.