Take your drink to-go! Center City DORA in Downtown Columbus

Ever want to enjoy a nice cold adult beverage in a park on a hot day? Or sip while you walk to a concert or sporting event?

Now you can buy your drinks to-go to sip and stroll within the Center City Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) in Downtown Columbus and Franklinton.

Buy a DORA drink and head to a park, window shop, check out public art and murals, or explore Downtown Columbus and Franklinton.

photo credit: Andy Spessard

What is DORA?

A Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) is an area that allows open container with alcoholic beverages – with specific rules in place. 

Patrons can purchase an alcoholic beverage in a labeled cup from participating establishments, and take the drink outside to enjoy. 

Inspired by community-led conversations in the 2022 Downtown Strategic Plan process, Downtown Columbus, Inc. in partnership with the City of Columbus, Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District and the Franklinton Board of Trade is excited to lead the effort to bring a new DORA to Downtown and Franklinton.

Center City DORA is allowed seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

photo credit: Andy Spessard

How Center City DORA works

Purchase a drink at participating DORA locations and take the drink to-go in a DORA cup. You can carry their beverage on the public right-
of-way, parks, and other places not specifically excluded from the DORA shown in the map below.

You cannot carry a beverage from one permitted establishment (restaurant, bar, or alcohol-serving event) into another, nor from one DORA to another DORA. You must dispose of your cup and get a new one at the new establishment.

Drinks must be in labeled DORA cups. Drinking alcohol out of any other cup, can, or bottle is considered a violation of the open container law.

photo credit: Andy Spessard

Other tips

• Signs placed around town will indicated whether area in included within DORA
• Participating businesses will display a sticker on their window.
• The Center City DORA and Arena District DORA are separate. You cannot take beverages from one district to the other.
• City Center DORA boundaries

Where is DORA in Downtown Columbus and Franklinton 

Check the website for more information and to see boundary map and the list of participating establishments where you can purchase a DORA beverage.

Find more upcoming events for adults over the next week....