New Downtown Dayton DORA expands outdoor drinking district
The new Downtown Dayton DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) launched this week, allowing people to walk around most of downtown with an alcoholic drink in hand.
In Effect Now! - Downtown Dayton DORA
Downtown Dayton’s expanded Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area has been approved by the State of Ohio Liquor Control Board and officially began Wednesday, June 14. Dayton City Commissioners unanimously voted to move forward with the expansion in late May before sending it to the state for approval. The new boundaries include much of downtown Dayton and will dissolve the Oregon District DORA to include the area within the new footprint.
“It’s exciting to see months of collaboration, partnership, and hard work come to this result,” said Sandra K. Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. “Everyone involved in the effort to expand the DORA shares the common goal of wanting to help our small businesses succeed, especially those businesses still struggling from the effects of COVID-19.”
A DORA is a space that allows patrons 21 years and older to purchase alcoholic beverages in a designated cup from a permitted establishment and then carry those beverages outside within the defined boundary. Alcohol obtained from sources other than participating businesses is not permitted inside the DORA boundary. Guests are encouraged to carry drinks served in designated DORA cups throughout the boundary, but all beverages must be finished or disposed of before entering another business that sells alcohol.
The Downtown Dayton DORA will be roughly bounded by Wilkinson Street to the west (with Main Street as the boundary south of Sixth Street), RiverScape MetroPark and the Great Miami River to the north (with First Street as the boundary east of Webster Street), Keowee Street to the east (with Webster Street as the boundary north of First Street), and Sixth Street to the south (with some areas stretching as far south as Washington Street and Jones/Bainbridge Street.)
DORA operates seven days a week from noon until midnight. Dayton’s City Manager may suspend the DORA in specific situations, such as emergencies or threats to public safety, or in specific geographic areas as requested for special events and other specific activities.
