CIRCLEVILLE – What is the Circleville Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA)? Weekly, from 5pm to 10pm on Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 10pm on Saturdays (except during the Pumpkin Show), visitors to downtown Circleville, ages 21 and over may purchase and enjoy an alcoholic beverage (beer wine or spirits) from a licensed, participating liquor establishment, then sip, stroll, shop and explore within the DORA boundaries.
The City of Circleville, Downtown Business groups, and Pickaway Information center have been working for years on making this a reality for the citizens of Circleville in hopes to offer more.
“We are excited to see what opportunities this brings to Circleville. Although it may take time, we are confident it will generate the foot-traffic necessary to help businesses justify staying open later, providing visitors more access to our local shops and attractions, “Nathan Wilson Executive Director Pickaway County Visitors Bureau.
Wilson also mentioned several events that the visitors center hosts in the downtown area could be enhanced by DORA.
“I think DORA is going to be very exciting for our historic business district,” said Circleville Mayor Don McIlroy, “This gives the opportunity to bring more traffic downtown, we already have terrific shops with great owners and great products. We hope that DORA will help move more traffic downtown for people to shop and enjoy. I support this DORA project handily.”
Guidelines to the DORA are below, the event will start rolling out at the end of March and be available afterward within the parameters.
DORA Guidelines
You may purchase an alcoholic beverage at participating liquor establishments, displaying a White DORA sticker. These stickers will be prominently displayed near the entrance. You may take an alcoholic beverage into participating businesses, displaying a Blue DORA sticker. Businesses that do not wish to participate may be identified by a Red DORA Sticker. You may not bring alcohol into these establishments. There are various reasons a business may or may not participate, please be respectful of the business. Permitted beverages will be provided in a designated DORA cup. These cups may not be reused and must be disposed of before entering another liquor establishment or exiting the DORA boundaries. Only beverages in DORA cups, within the designated boundaries, are permitted and exempt from Circleville’s open-container laws. No cans, glass bottles, or outside alcohol is permitted, per the State of Ohio.
Guests may only “Sip and Stroll’ during specified days and times. These are 5:00pm-10:00pm on Thursdays and Fridays and 12:00pm-10:00pm on Saturdays (excluding the week of the Pumpkin Show).
Liquor establishments will not be providing DORA Cups beyond these times. Help keep Circleville beautiful. Dispose of empty cups and other trash in one of the many waste receptacles within the city. Have fun while maintaining a family-friendly atmosphere and respecting that not all individuals within the DORA boundaries are drinking. Know your limits. The key to enjoying our outdoor refreshment area is drinking responsibly and having a designated driver to help you get home sately. Follow the law. State law allows for the establishment of the outdoor refreshment area, but other state laws regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages (including the legal drinking age, etc.), traffic, and pedestrian walkways must still be followed.
