It’s not necessary to drink to have fun during Veishea, and this year, it might even be difficult just to purchase alcohol.

That’s the sentiment shared by Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco, and various local businesses in Ames that are licensed to sell alcohol.

“The city Veishea Task Force has come up with a three-step plan to help make Veishea a safer celebration,” Tedesco said.

The first step deals with two city ordinances addressing alcohol and Veishea. Tedesco said the regulations hold party sponsors responsible for the noise level at the parties and for providing alcohol to minors.

The second step involves a neighborhood watch program notifying people that these two ordinances have been put in place.

For the third step, the task force has put together a voluntary pledge stating that people with the permit to sell alcohol will follow all rules dispensing alcohol and check IDs carefully. Also, if they are asked to stop serving alcohol, the pledge states, they will comply voluntarily.

“There are 95 local businesses that are license-holders to sell alcohol in Ames, and 92 have returned the pledge,” Tedesco said. “We expect the other three to be turning in their pledges in the next couple of days.”

These local businesses have agreed not to advertise alcohol at all for Veishea weekend. This also means that they will not advertise any special deals or prices of alcohol for the weekend.

This may have some significance in alcohol sales, said Chuck Connors, manager of the Keg Shop, 218 Welch Ave.

“I think that not advertising alcohol takes some of the focus off alcohol. Instead of reading different ads about alcohol, people might actually focus on other aspects of Veishea,” he said.

However, business isn’t going to be affected too much, Connors said.

“We do expect sales to go down a little, since a lot of people are trying to do a Veishea that’s trouble-free this year,” Connors said. “But nothing is going to change too much. We will still basically operate as in past years — we’ll just be working a little closer with the city and with the police.”

Vincent Munoz, an employee of People’s Bar and Grill, 2428 Lincoln Way, agreed.

“The only thing that will happen is that we won’t show our weekly drink specials,” he said. “But for most of our advertising, we usually advertise our bands that are playing. We don’t usually advertise the alcohol too much.”

Some businesses were happy to sign the pledge because it doesn’t affect them at all.

“I was happy to comply because we don’t do any advertising anyway, so I thought it was just fine,” said Denny Gano, owner of Cyclone Liquors.

However, there might be some effects of not advertising, he said.

“I think that it has curtailed some of the beer distributors from discounting the beer like they did before,” Gano said. “Beer won’t be that inexpensive anymore. For example, instead of $7.99 a case, like last year, it will be $8.99 a case.”

There might even be less competition among businesses, he said.

“Since there is no advertising, there will probably be less competition, and everyone will be on a more equal level,” Gano said.

“In order for specials, people would have to buy alcohol in larger quantities, and smaller businesses are usually unable to purchase in larger quantities,” he said. “So with higher prices, there will probably be less special deals.”

When asked if all these rules and regulations were a little too harsh, Tedesco said he did not think so.

“All we are asking is that the adult population that’s of legal age to drink will do so responsibly,” he said. “If you ask me,” he added, “if having a fun Veishea means being drunk out of your mind, and fighting and stabbing people, then I don’t need you.”

However, Tedesco is optimistic about this year’s Veishea. “The whole purpose is simply to make Veishea a responsible and fun celebration, and I think that the majority of people have worked hard to make a fun, safe, responsible Veishea,” he said.