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The Marietta City Council earlier this week approved an ordinance permitting open containers downtown for a trial period of one year.
The open container policy allows the city’s downtown restaurants and bars with active liquor licenses to sell to-go cocktails and other alcoholic beverages for consumption within the newly created entertainment district, which includes Marietta Square. However, the district excludes Glover Park and its bordering sidewalks in the heart of the square.
To-go drinks can only be consumed within Marietta’s downtown entertainment district on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Restaurants and bars must serve all to-go beverages in 12-ounce or less clear, plastic cups.
Read the full ordinance here.
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Marietta joins other metro Atlanta-area cities, like Dunwoody, Canton, Smyrna, Powder Springs, Kennesaw, and Acworth, in establishing an entertainment district with an open container policy.
In an effort to support its local restaurant community during the pandemic, city of Decatur last month agreed to instituting a temporary open container ordinance, beginning Friday, October 30, through Sunday, January 3. The ordinance covers Decatur’s downtown and square, Old Depot, West Ponce, East College, and Oakhurst business districts. It allows restaurants and bars in these areas to offer to-go cocktails and other alcoholic beverages in approved plastic cups on Fridays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Patrons and restaurants caught violating Decatur’s open container ordinance could face a $150 fine. It’s unclear what fines, if any, will be levied by the city of Marietta for those businesses and patrons found violating the open container ordinance there.
