Downtown Festival Districts
A Downtown Festival District allows customers of participating downtown restaurants and bars to purchase and take open containers of alcohol from the licensed premises for consumption in the public right-of-way located within a designated area for a specific, limited timeframe. Alcohol must be purchased from a participating downtown business (no bring your own beverage). The business will provide the customer with a City-branded wristband and cup, from which the individual can consume their purchased drink in the designated public right-of-way.
Declared Events
There are currently no declared Downtown Festival Districts.
Downtown Festival District Regulations
To learn more about City regulations concerning Downtown Festival Districts, review City Code section 5-62.2 and Rule 26 in the Rules of the Local Liquor Commissioner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Patron Questions
Participants can only carry or consume alcoholic beverages in the public right-of-way (public property) when a Downtown Festival District has been designated. Carrying an open container or consuming alcohol on public property at any other time is prohibited.
The boundaries of a Downtown Festival District can vary, but will generally include the core business area of Downtown Champaign. Specific boundaries will be established and a map of the area will be provided on this webpage for each event. During the event, signs will also be conspicuously posted on the sidewlkas around the perimeter of the Downtown Festival District, to provide a visual reminder of the boundaries to tparticipants.
No, you cannot bring your own alcohol into the Downtown Festival District. All alcoholic beverages consumed on public property at a Downtown Festival District must be purchased from a participating bar or restaurant within the Downtown Festival District. Downtown businesses that sell alcohol are not required to participate in Downtown Festival Districts, or to allow alcohol to be taken from their licensed premises.
Downtown liquor establishments that have chosen to participate in the Festival Festival District must provide a wristband to anyone who purchases an alcoholic beverage for consumption on public property. The wristband is a visual way for authorities to confirm the individual consuming alcohol is of legal drinking age and that they purchased the beverage from a participating business within the Downtown Festival District.
Downtown establishments that sell alcohol are not required to participate or to allow liquor to be taken from their licensed premises. Downtown restaurants and bars that have chosen to participate must follow certain additional rules required by the City, including issuing City-provided wristbands and serving “to-go” alcoholic beverages in paper or plastic cups.
No, consumption of alcohol in any City-owned parking lot or facility is generally prohibited unless the parking lot is specifically included within the boundaries of a Downtown Festival District as part of an authorized special event.
Champaign police officers and other security personnel will patrol the Downtown Festival District and surrounding areas to ensure that participants are following the rules and acting in a responsible manner. Police will provide guidance to individuals who appear unsure of the rules or the boundaries of the Downtown Festival District. Licensed businesses participating in the Downtown Festival District are also required to follow and enforce liquor rules as required by City Code and the Rules of the Local Liquor Commissioner.
To protect the public from hazards associated with broken glass, alcoholic beverages carried or consumed in public within the Downtown Festival District must be served in a consumed from a plastic or paper cup.
Liquor Licensee Questions
In general, Class A, AP, B, F, H, R, and RT licensees located within a designated Downtown Festival District are eligible to participate and sell alcohol for consumption within the Downtown Festival District. Licensees must first submit an application to the Liquor Commissioner, and be approved, before participaing. Licensees should review Rule 26 in the Rules of the Local Liquor Commissioner for more information.
No, licensees are not required to sell alcohol for consumption in a Downtown Festival District.
Yes, eligible licensees must submit an application to the Liquor Commissioner and be approved in order to participate in a Downtown Festival. A small registration fee may apply.
Yes, alcoholic beverages sold for public consumption in the Festival District MUST be served in the plastic/paper cups provided by the City. No glass, bottles, or aluminum containers are permitted in the Downtown Festival District.
In addition to the Liquor Ordinance that all licensees are required to follow, licensees must also follow the requirements outlined in Rule 26 in the Rules of the Local Liquor Commissioner.
Wristbands are provided by the City to licensees who choose to participate in the Downtown Festival Districts. If a customer of a participating business wants to purchase an alcoholic beverage for consumption at a Downtown Festival District, the licensee will verify the individual is of legal drinking age and place a wristband on the customer’s wrist. Wristbands are used by authorities to verify the wearer is of legal drinking age and that the individual purchased their alcoholic beverage from a business within the Downtown Festival District.
No, wristbands are provided to participating licensees free of charge. A licensee may not charge a customer a fee, directly or indirectly, for a Downtown Festival District wristband.
