News Release

INDIANA — A new state law has gone into effect that will allow Indiana cities to establish designated outdoor refreshment areas.

These areas allow restaurant patrons to roam freely with their bar beverage in clearly marked outdoor spaces pre-determined by local leaders. These areas already exist in neighboring states like Michigan and Ohio.

Many Hoosier cities have jumped on the opportunity as a means for expanding outdoor festivals or as a way to attract customers into downtown areas.

For some businesses, the law eases the arrangement of outdoor events in areas that would have required supplemental approval of alcohol vendors. For other businesses, the new law allows for opportunities for a boost in foot traffic to local shops and new businesses.

Senator Liz Brown penned the bill that blueprints the process of creating an outdoor refreshment area. With the new law, cities are allowed flexibility to create the areas as they wish but it lays out some ground rules.

Some of the ground rules include: city officials must create a map of the proposed DORA which includes the boundaries and locations of participating bars and restaurants. Additionally, city leader can set specific hours and days that open drinks can be sold and transported throughout the DORA and signs are to be posted throughout indicating the space is a DORA. DORAs are not to be established within 200 feet of a church or school, unless an organization representative gives written consent. Patrons visiting the DORA are permitted to carry no more than 10 to 16 ounces depending on the type of drink.

City officials in Mishawaka are experimenting with a DORA in the Beutter Park and Ironworks Plaza area. The DORA would allow Sun King Brewery to create an outdoor biergarten area. Mishawaka city officials would like to have the DORA in place before the start of an upcoming county festival scheduled to take place in October.

City officials are putting safeguards in order. Among the safeguards are an increase in security presence during events and the implementation of designated cups that display a DORA sticker, signifying the drink meets the laid out DORA requirements.

Local leaders have the option of establishing up to seven DORAs within their city limits. As of now, many Hoosier cities are starting with one to see how things go.