At the recent regularly scheduled Riverbank City Council meeting, the council heard a report on results from the 2023 Cheese and Wine event and pondered making some changes in it for this year.

Presented by Parks and Recreation Director Michael Patton, the agenda item was intended to request a resolution to appropriate funds for the 2024 version of the event and provide recommendations on how to proceed for this year.

Patton outlined four alternatives the council might consider:

1 — Contract with an organization or individual to plan, develop and execute the event this year. That is what the council has been doing in the years since it took over the event from the Riverbank Rotary Club.

2 — Have the Parks and Recreation Department plan, develop, and execute the event in house.

3 — Forgo the annual Cheese and Wine event and have Parks and Rec plan and create a new event to take the place of the Cheese and Wine.

4 — Forgo the Cheese and Wine event and use planned budgeted funding towards smaller community events hosted by the recreation department.

Patton noted that over the past three years, since the COVID-related pause in the event, it has operated at a deficit, which the council had to draw from the General Fund to cover.

One of the problems with last year’s event, they discussed, included a much higher cost for vendors, which apparently ended up limiting the number of participants, and lowering the income.

Another they talked about was the small number of tasting sessions over the two-day event, which also lowered the amount of income there.

After considerable discussion, the council decided to limit this year’s edition to one day, as well as lowering the amount charged the vendors.

Several council members were not happy that the layout of the event did not extend to downtown as it has in the past.

Ultimately, Patton will be studying options and is expected to return to the council at its Feb.13 meeting with some more specific information on what the newly revised event could look like.