Know the alcohol rules for the Uptown Concert Series

We are in the middle of the Spring Uptown Concert Series, which runs through the end of next month.

The weekly concerts, mostly on Friday night and mostly in the 1000 block of Broadway, draw crowds ranging from 1,500 to 3,500 people.

They have become an important aspect of the downtown economic and social fabric. One of the the things that sets them apart from normal evenings in downtown Columbus is people can freely walk the 1000 block with open alcoholic beverage containers.

Since we are only two weeks into the series, sponsored by Uptown Columbus Inc., it seems a good time to do a quick refresher course on the rules regarding alcohol.

First, Uptown Columbus applies to the city’s police department for a street closure permit and an open container permit.

Concert-goers are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages into the 1000 block.

“One of the reasons we do these free concerts is to allow the businesses in that area to benefit,” said Uptown Inc. President Richard Bishop.

And over the life of the series, the bars and restaurants have adapted to maximize food and beverage business. They will set up tables in the street for patrons. At least 10 businesses in the 1000 block set up outside bars to serve customers. Those bars serve beer and wine. The customer who wants mixed drinks must go inside the businesses and those drinks can then be brought outside.

People are not permitted to carry alcoholic beverages past 11^th Street to the north and 10^th Street to the south.

This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Know the alcohol rules for the Uptown Concert Series."