Bars to Stay Open Late for Inauguration Partying Council passes measure to keep bars open late inauguration week

By  JIM IOVINO

Updated 6:41 PM EDT, Tue, Jan 13, 2009

Related Topics: Adams Morgan | Jim Graham

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

The D.C. Council will consider a measure to allow licensed bars and restaurants to serve alcohol until 5 a.m. and to keep doors open 24 hours a day between Jan. 17 and Jan. 21.

 

If you think it's tough to get a drink during last call at the bars in Adams Morgan on a normal weekend night, just think of what it would be like if 4 million of your closest friends joined the party?

Council Votes to Keep Alcohol Pouring Later for Inauguration

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There'll be no shortage of alcoholic drinks to toast the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama next month.

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If the estimated 4 million people do swarm the District for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration, they're going to need some places to unwind with a drink, right?  That was the logic behind D.C. Council member Jim Graham's latest proposal.

Graham, who represents the bar-centric Adams Morgan neighborhood, introduced a measure to allow licensed bars, restaurants and nightclubs to serve alcohol until 5 a.m. and to keep doors open 24 hours a day between Jan. 17 and Jan. 21, according to the Washington Examiner. Tuesday evening, the Council passed the measure.

Mayor Adrian Fenty had requested that nightclubs not be included in the measure, but he has said he will sign the emergency legislation. Police can handle the inaugural duties and the later bar and restaurant scene, Police Chief Cathy Lanier said.

The measure is similar to one that was passed in Minnesota for areas around the Republican National Convention.  Some bars and restaurants paid an extra fee to stay open later during the RNC.  Some say the extra bar time paid off for those serving drinks, while others weren't impressed with the Republican drinking capacity.

Comments (16)

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  • Marlene Cohen Saturday, Dec 6 at 12:11 AM FLAG COMMENT go to http://www.cafepress.com/09_inauguration for fun shwag!
  • Michelle Wednesday, Dec 3 at 12:38 PM FLAG COMMENT Letting the restaurants and bars stay open for gathering and eatting is a good idea, however serving alcohol until 5am is a very very bad idea. What was everone thinking then letting all the party goers out just in time for the morning rust hour. I hope this decision turns out on the good side.
  • Mikael Wednesday, Dec 3 at 9:39 AM FLAG COMMENT I regularly drink pastl 5am on weekends. It doesn't slow me down during the week, and I don't have an alcohol problem. Wake up, you Puritan wankers, and If you can't control yourself, stay home!
  • dist1990 Wednesday, Dec 3 at 1:57 AM FLAG COMMENT People, wake the hell up! With this great change in leadership, maybe now we can understand how the rest of the world operates, without any troubles. Barcelona, Switzerland, London...many bars are open all night with NO problem whatsoever. Yeah, maybe we're too stupid to be smart enough not to drink ourselves to death, though the rest of the world doesn't seem to have problems controlling themselves and their alcohol.
  • Ethan Tuesday, Dec 2 at 11:23 PM FLAG COMMENT with this congregation of fools and their collective idiocy, I'm certain that hydrogen, currently the most abundant element in the universe, could be replaced by stupidity. I'd be so embarrassed to be seen anywhere within 100 miles of this place.

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