Downtown Festival District
A Downtown Festival District allows customers of participating downtown bars, restaurants, and special events to purchase and take open containers of alcohol from the licensed premises for consumption in the public right-of-way located within a designated area and during a limited time frame.
FAQs
What is the Festival District?
Open containers of alcoholic liquor may be carried out of a participating bar, restaurant, or special event and possessed or consumed on the public way including streets and sidewalks on specified dates within a set boundary.
Where Can I Go?
With your open container, you are welcome to enter retailers and bars/restaurants that display the Festival District logo on their entrance indicating they have “opted in” to the Festival District within the mapped area. If a retailer bar, or restaurant does not display the “opt in” sign, please do not take open containers into that establishment.
When Is the Festival District Open?
Festival District is open 11:00 am to 11:00 pm on the following dates in 2024:
February 24 – Art-ic Ale Walk
April 27 – Pretzel Fest
May 11 – Pretzel City Winefest
June 7 – Music on Chicago
July 5 – Music on Chicago
July 12 & 13 – Tutty Baker Days
August 2 – Music on Chicago
August 23 – Paint the Port
August 24 – Eats & Beats
September 6 – First Friday
October 10 – Wine & Witches
Open containers are not legal and not allowed on downtown streets and sidewalks outside of the above dates and times that the Festival District is in process.
What Do I Need?
Open containers must be in a plastic cup provided by a downtown bar, restaurant, or special event organizer with the establishment’s name identified on the cup.
Festival District attendees must be wearing a wristband provided by a participating bar, restaurant, or Special Event organizer in order to be in the possession of the plastic cup described above.
Wristbands are free of charge.
Downtown Festival District Map
City Ordinance
To refer to Section 806.22 of the Codified Ordinances regarding the Festival District click here