~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Once again, an Iowa Chill River Farm Summer Bash hosted by Craig Flack on his 300-acre farm in Jackson Township west of Jefferson, relied on Greene County law enforcement and ambulance services to deal with drugs, alcohol, and assault.
The sheriff’s reports of the weekend list arrests, citations, or pending charges for assault, narcotics possession, carrying weapons, and underage drinking. Four ambulance calls were noted in the reports. Other problems such as “kids getting into the trunk of a car” and “unresponsive males and females” were noted. An alleged sexual assault is under investigation. Other unknown drugs were found.
Intervention by law enforcement and medical personnel has been common at previous bashes at the River Farm. In July 2019, a chaotic situation resulted when alcohol-impaired attendees drove cars away from the event to escape a storm. One man died in a related accident.
Despite the current Covid-19 pandemic, the latest bash was held at River Farm on July 17-19. Both Craig Flack and law enforcement estimated an attendance of 400-500 people. According to county sheriff Jack Williams, attendees congregated closely together after dark to hear the band.
GreeneCountyNewsOnline interviewed Craig Flack by telephone on July 24.
Flack acknowledged the problems caused by some of the attendees of the July Summer Bash but disputed the numbers cited in the sheriff’s report.
“I want to see the toxicology. No way there was 11 people,” he said. “I don’t encourage underage drinking. I don’t condone any misbehavior.”
Flack spoke at length about his love of the farm which he had wanted to own for many years. Beginning at the age of 2, Flack played among the trees and hills, spending time with his father.
Eventually, Flack bought the 300 acres and developed it into outdoor recreation areas for dirt biking, camping, fishing, kayaking, and other activities. There is a 26-acre pond on the property.
“I want it to be a family atmosphere, for people to have the adventures of walking around,” said Flack. “Instead, I’ve got hassles and harassment.”
Flack believes he has been unfairly treated by law enforcement and media and unfairly criticized by people in general over the problems at the bashes.
“I’m a hard-working old farmer,” he said. “It’s terrible what I’ve been put through. I bring a lot of money into the community through bringing people into town. I brought business into town through dirt biking.”
“I mean no harm to anyone. I tried to buy the 300 acres with no money. Now, I need the bigger events to make the yearly $45,000 payments,” he said.
Flack acknowledges there are attendees who cause problems. When asked about underage drinking, he said, “We changed the age limit (to attend the bash) to 21, but so many people complained that we changed it back to 18.” In Iowa, 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds are prohibited from drinking alcohol.
“We check identification when people come in, but there’s no way to know if an ID is fake,” Flack said. “Thirty-five percent of the people who come in are 18 to 21 years old.”
According to Flack, since the underage group make up about a third of the profits, raising the age of admission would make the event unprofitable.
When GreeneCountyNewsOnline pointed out costs to the county of providing law enforcement and medical services, in effect subsidizing his private event, Flack said the number of “bad actors” was “a small percentage.”
“I think the (EMTs) and deputies enjoy the time they spend out at the farm,” he said, referring to time spent there between the investigations, arrests and medical treatment.
“I like people and being a host,” Flack said. “I approve of (sheriff) Jack Williams coming out.”
Williams had reported to the Greene County board of supervisors on Monday that he and deputies had been allowed on the grounds on Saturday night but not Friday. Williams stated there was not enough private security.
Flack said he hires security personnel at $20 an hour. “And,” he said, “I couldn’t get along without my volunteers.”
When GCNO told Flack about large events, such as the bashes, in outdoor secluded venues can be prime spots attracting criminal enterprises for solicitation and trafficking, Flack reacted with laughter.
GCNO described the sheriff’s report noting “kids in the trunk of a car,” and asked if that would concern him.
“They were just minors sneaking in,” he laughed.
Still, in a serious moment, Flack said, “I have to have the big events for the money. If I had the farm paid off, I would never have another big event in my life.”
The Summer Bash is promoted by Iowa Chill. According to Flack, the only thing Iowa Chill provides is promotion for events. Iowa Chill does not provide alcohol or food; attendees must bring their own.
“Iowa Chill. Promotion only. It’s a couple college kids figured a way to make money by setting up parties and filming them,” Flack said.
Iowa Chill has posted videos online to promote the River Farm bashes of past years. The videos are posted on the internet in various places, easily found.
The videos are montages of young people wearing swim trunks and bikinis, drinking from bottles and cans labeled as alcoholic beverages. There are scenes of young people drinking from rubber tubes attached to large containers or funnels held above them.
Most Iowa Chill videos include footage of bare female buttocks wearing thongs, stuck close to the camera lens, gyrating wildly.
Many are narrated by various young men holding microphones and welcoming potential visitors.
One young video master of ceremonies was surrounded by laughing, bikini-clad young women with beer cans in their hands. He motioned into the camera and said, “Come on over! We got booze and hot chicks!”
Iowa Chill promotion of the River Farm summer bashes focuses on alcohol and sex to bring visitors to the farm. Craig Flack said he just hopes this will eventually pay off the farm and he can focus on dirt biking and kayaking again.
