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Albemarle’s downtown social district will begin on Saturday.

Social districts allow people who visit establishments permitted by North Carolina’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission to take a beverage sold in a specially marked cup into public areas within the social district.

Albemarle’s Downtown Social District will cover the area from the Five Points District to the East to Market Station to the West with North Street to the North and South Street to the South as the boundaries. The social district will be in effect from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

Non-ABC permitted businesses in the social district may allow visitors to bring alcoholic beverages inside their location. Signage for those businesses both participating and those who do not wish to participate will be provided by the city for businesses to display at their entrance.

Social district visitors will need to follow several rules:

• No alcoholic beverages are to be taken inside non-participating establishments within the parameters of the district;

• Visitors to the district are not allowed to bring and consume their own alcoholic beverages (BYOB);

• All alcoholic beverages must be purchased from establishments located within or contiguous to the district (in specially labeled cups) and must be consumed within the District;

• Upon leaving an establishment where an alcoholic beverage is purchased, the beverage must be consumed or discarded before entering a different business that serves alcohol.

• All alcohol in open containers must be disposed of before exiting the District or entering a vehicle.

Visit https://www.albemarlenc.gov/downtownsocialdistrict for more about the social district.