Entertainment Districts

Birmingham Entertainment Districts are specified areas where the consumption of alcoholic beverages is allowed to extend beyond the immediate premises of individual retailers licensed by the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. In general, visitors are allowed to carry open containers purchased within the district and consume them outdoors within the district, but are not allowed to bring them into other licensed alcohol retailers or other businesses.

These entertainments districts were made possible under the auspices of the Act of Alabama 2012-438, signed by Governor Robert Bentley on August 1, 2012. Under the law certain municipalities may create up to five such districts no larger than 160 acres, and with no fewer than four licensed retailers per district. Act of Alabama 2019-185, signed May 15, 2019 by Governor Kay Ivey expanded the class of municipalities that could create such districts.

For the City of Birmingham, an "Entertainment Districts Ordinance" (Ordinance No. 13-118) was passed by the Birmingham City Council and signed by Mayor William Bell on October 1, 2013. The ordinance gives the city the right to determine hours of operation for such districts, requires that beverages sold to be taken outside must be put into paper cups commercially printed to identify the licensee. The city further requires that each district must be licensed to an applicant, such as a merchants association, which is responsible for paying application fees; designing, erecting and maintaining signage to mark the boundaries and policies of the district and waste receptacles; and for managing policies such as the use of wristbands or other controls to facilitate enforcement of alcoholic beverage controls.

Districts

1. Uptown Entertainment District, implemented September 3, 2015 (5–11 PM Thu–Fri, 12–11 PM Sat–Sun)
2. Pepper Place Entertainment District, authorized January 15, 2019, opened February 22, 2019
3. Five Points South Entertainment District, authorized December 17, 2019 to take effect March 1, 2020 (5–11 PM Thu, 5 PM–12 AM Fri, 10 AM–12 AM Sat–Sun)
4. Avondale Entertainment District, authorized June 23, 2020

References

• Thornton, William (January 15, 2019) "Pepper Place designated entertainment district." The Birmingham News
• Beahm, Anna (December 17, 2019) "Birmingham’s Five Points South designated as entertainment district." The Birmingham News
• Beahm, Anna (June 23, 2020) "Now, you can walk around and drink in Avondale." The Birmingham News