Avondale Added As The City’s Newest Entertainment District On July 1
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to approve the creation of the “Avondale Entertainment District,” a stretch of 41st Street South where, starting July 1, it will be legal to drink alcohol in public.
It’s the fourth such area in the city, following entertainment district designations for Pepper Place, Uptown and Five Points South.
“So far, this has been very successful for the city of Birmingham,” said District 2 Councilor Hunter Williams, who chairs the council’s public safety committee. “I think all the vendors who have participated in all the other entertainment districts have definitely seen an increase in sales … I’ve heard a lot of good feedback over the past three years of us doing this.”
The Avondale Entertainment District will stretch along 41st Street South between Second Avenue South and Fifth Avenue South. It’s a busy corridor of bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues including Saturn, the Avondale Common House, Post Office Pies, Saw’s Soul Kitchen, Melt, Fancy’s on Fifth, the Marble Ring, Avondale Brewing Company, 41st Street Pub and Parkside.
The ordinance allows for people to take drinks purchased in any of those businesses outside, so long as they remain inside the entertainment district. Alcohol will have to be contained in designated, vendor-issued cups; once outside, those cups cannot be carried back into the business where it was purchased or into any other liquor-licensed venues.
The operating hours for the district will be between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m. on Thursdays, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturdays.
The new designation also means that pedal buses — multi-occupant vehicles powered by alcohol-wielding passengers and steered by a designated driver — will be able to travel between Avondale and the city’s three other entertainment districts.
Crew of fatal US military crash included Alabama father recently deployed
The six U.S. service members who died in the crash of a U.S. military refueling aircraft included an Alabama father who had just been promoted and deployed. The U.S. government released the identities of the deceased service members Saturday.
Alabama poised to drastically overhaul utility regulation. Will it lower electric bills?
The Alabama Senate unanimously voted to expand the public service commission, and create a Secretary of Energy to address rising electricity prices. A bill in the House would go even further, requiring rate case hearings and limiting utility profits.
Musher from Alabama is going for back-to-back Iditarod wins
Riches and paid appearances haven’t followed Jessie Holmes since he won the world’s most famous sled dog race, the Iditarod, last year. He doesn't mind.
Bill would move Alabama to closed primaries
Right now, any Alabama voter can participate in a primary election. Lawmakers in Montgomery took up a bill this week that would change that system.
Auburn football player uses NIL funds to open a community hub in Birmingham
Jourdin Crawford, a freshman defensive lineman at Auburn, used earnings from a Name, Image, and Likeness deal to give back to his hometown.
Ivey commutes death sentence of inmate whose accomplice fired fatal shot
Charles “Sonny” Burton was sentenced to death for the killing of Doug Battle during a 1991 robbery. However, another man shot Battle when Burton had left the building.
