Open container ordinance takes effect in Meridian
Published 7:06 pm Thursday, January 30, 2020
- Bill Graham / The Meridian StarA crowd gathers around a beer stand during the Chili Bowl 2020 at Dumont Plaza in Meridian on Thursday, the first day of the city’s new open container ordinance.
Meridian’s new open container ordinance got good reviews when it went into effect on Thursday.
The ordinance allows customers of participating downtown restaurants, bars and breweries to bring a to-go cup of alcohol outside on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 5 to 11 p.m. and during special events.
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On Thursday, Dumont Plaza was filled with people for Chili Bowl 2020, including Kelsey Artigue, who said she likes the new rules.
“I like it because you can go from Weidmann’s to Brickhaus without being worried about getting into trouble,” she said.
“It’s a good thing,” said Thomas Burton. “It will help local business and create a good vibe in downtown Meridian.”
Under the new rules, customers can carry only paper or plastic cups up to 16 ounces – not glass containers, bottles or cans. The cups cannot be brought back inside businesses.
The district is located within an irregularly-shaped area, extending to a section of A Street to the south, part of 10th Street to the north and mainly between 18th and 26th Avenues.
