Cramerton debuts new social district

WSOCTV.com News Staff
·1 min read

Another North Carolina town debuted a social district where visitors can drink in public areas and not only in a business.

Cramerton opened the Center Street Social District on Friday along portions of Center Street between Eighth Avenue and Front Street.

A social district allows customers of ABC-permitted establishments to drink alcohol on sidewalks and public areas within the pre-determined confines of the district.

Drinking in the Cramerton Center Street Social District is allowed from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

Customers who buy a drink in the social district must drink it and throw it away in the social district.

READ MORE: Albemarle’s new social district debuts Saturday

The Town of Cramerton published a list of restrictions for the social district in order to keep the area a family-friendly destination.

  • Businesses must meet all legal requirements around selling alcohol, including checking IDs and limiting consumption of alcoholic drinks. The establishment can only serve two beers/wine drinks or one liquor drink to one patron at a time.

  • All alcoholic beverages must be purchased from establishments in the District in specifically labeled cups and must be consumed within the district.

  • All alcohol in open containers must to be thrown away before customers leave the District.

  • Drinks must be less than 16 ounces.

  • Cramerton Police Officers will enforce the restrictions of the Center Street Social District.

READ MORE: Statesville debuts new social district in downtown area

Since the N.C. General Assembly legalized social districts in 2021, towns and cities across the state have created these designated drinking areas.

Albemarle, Hickory, Kannapolis, Mooresville, and Salisbury have opened their own social districts. Greensboro, Raleigh, and Durham have also created downtown drinking areas.

Charlotte officials approved social districts in 2022 and multiple neighborhoods have submitted applications to create one, but none have opened yet.

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(WATCH: New social district in Gastonia allows drinking between bars)