COLUMBUS, Ohio — Visitors will now be able to sip alcoholic beverages and walk around areas of downtown Columbus beginning Friday after the state approved a new designated outdoor refreshment area.
The DORA, called the "Center City Dora," is the result of the 2022 Downtown Strategic Plan. The DORA spans from East Franklinton to Fourth Street in downtown Columbus, covering roughly 0.62 square miles.
It becomes active beginning at noon on May 24.
Visitors must stay in the designated area and purchase a DORA beverage at a participating restaurant if they want to walk around with a drink.
Some of the restaurants participating include:
- BrewDog Brewing Company
- Dueling Axes
- The Junto
- Land-Grant Brewing Company
- Milestone 229
- One Line Coffee
- Pat & Gracie’s
- Wolf’s Ridge Brewing
- Yellowbrick Pizza
The area encompasses popular destinations like the Scioto Mile, Columbus Commons, Gay Street, Fourth and Main and North Fourth corridors.
The normal daily hours will be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
This is the second DORA in the city, with another approved in the Arena District during events.
The Arena District's DORA is activated three hours before the start of every event or game taking place at Nationwide Arena, Huntington Park and Lower.com Field.
There are a few rules for those planning to drink outside in a DORA.
Adults 21 and older can walk outdoors with one alcoholic beverage in a designated cup served by participating bars or restaurants. Patrons are not permitted to carry their beverage from one permitted establishment into another, or from one DORA to another.
Be on the lookout for sidewalk stickers and signs around the perimeter of the DORA. Restaurants that are participating will display a sticker designating their participation.
For more information, visit the Center City DORA website here.