Offering beverages in glass containers at the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival poses a risk to public safety as they can break or be used as weapons, police say.
But the festival says people "hated drinking from cans" and it hopes "natural justice" will prevail because no issues have been reported in the past.
Yesterday, a hearing was held in Invercargill over the festival’s special licence, which has been opposed by police.
Glass containers presented a risk because of breakage and the potential for use as a weapon, he said.
"This event is an oyster and food festival, it is not an alcohol festival. The main purpose of the event is to celebrate the Bluff oyster and food in the southern region. "Alcohol should be a secondary component to accompany the other festivities."
Sgt McNaught said with 4500 people drinking alcohol at a site, there was the potential for something to go wrong, which could turn a "mere fight into lifelong injuries".
But festival committee member Kylie Fowler said it had not encountered any issues with glass over the past 14 events, and would like to offer it as an option.
Feedback had been received that people "hate drinking out of cans", and the clientele were not inclined towards bad behaviour.
Sgt McNaught did not accept that argument, saying "just because something hadn’t happened, didn’t mean it wouldn’t in the future".
"You don’t get in your car and think ‘I’ve never had an accident before, so I don’t need to put my seatbelt on’."
The festival returned last year after a two-year hiatus and is on May 24 this year.
Previous police concern over a lack of security staff had been mitigated by boosting security from eight to 10.
Questions were asked by the hearing panel about both refusal of service and alcohol smuggling in the past.
Ms Fowler said there had been one instance of a person being refused alcohol, and smuggling was "always tried".
She was unsure if every bag was searched upon entry.
District licencing committee chair Darren Ludlow said a decision had been reached yesterday but was reserved while wording was finalised.
• LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
