At the July 5, 2022 City Council Meeting, Council approved recommendations from staff and the Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) to implement a pilot social district in downtown Raleigh. The social district allows people to sip beer, wine, or cocktails as they stroll through a defined area of downtown. Social districts have been implemented in various towns and cities across the state since the North Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation in 2021 allowing municipalities to designate areas where alcoholic beverages can be purchased from a licensed ABC permittee, and then taken outdoors.
The DRA and City of Raleigh staff held community engagement sessions to gain feedback and hear concerns prior to the pilot, and then created guidance materials to educate business owners, patrons, and event organizers on the rules associated with the district. Raleigh’s pilot social district, Sip n’ Stroll Downtown, went into effect August 15. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with an exception during special events.
This spring, the City of Raleigh will review the pilot and consider the future of the program. Please take a moment to complete this survey from the DRA to provide feedback on how the social district pilot is going and how it could be changed or improved. This survey is intended for anyone and everyone. Your feedback will inform any changes that Raleigh City Council may make to the Downtown Raleigh social district.
Original source can be found here.
