Wrong Cup? You'll Have To Dump Your Drink

If you're headed to downtown Mobile this weekend for the Dauphin Street Beer Festival, have fun, be safe, and make sure you're drinking out of the right cup as you're going from place to place.

That's because Mobile Police are now enforcing the open container ordinance in the Downtown Entertainment District (which is actually two separate "districts"... see map below).

There's a reason behind the ordinance; it's to protect the businesses, as well as provide a better atmosphere downtown:

"This requirement is designed to ensure that the people coming downtown to enjoy the nightlife are customers of the licensee, and not simply bringing their own beverages from home."

So if you're drinking from an open container OTHER than the official LoDa cup or one from the bar/restaurant in the Entertainment District where you bought the drink, you will be told to dump it out.

I feel sorry for the officers that are having to enforce this, especially as the evening wears on and people have had a few.  No one is going to like having to dump out their drink.  

And keep in mind, this isn't just for the Beer Festival... these are the rules from here on out.

Oh, and remember the Cinderella clause:  "No open containers on the streets and sidewalks of downtown are allowed after midnight."