The biggest news coming out of D.C. right now: 24-hour alcohol service!
No one can be sleepy when bars are staying open around the clock, thanks to a new provision from D.C.'s Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA).
And don't worry, the reason you can order a cold one at the bar throughout the night and at breakfast time is patriotic.
New 2024 special events extended hours allow alcohol-licensed establishments to apply for a special permit to sell, serve, and permit the consumption of alcohol between 6–4am and operate 24 hours daily during the following special events 2024 Summer Olympics (July 26 through August 11) and 2024 Paralympic Games (August 28 through September 8).
The extended hours will help bars accommodate patrons who want to watch the games live, despite the time difference between DC and Paris, which is six hours ahead.
The Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics will kick off at 1:30pm ET on Friday, July 26, with a primetime rerun at 7:30pm that night on Peacock and NBC. The following days will see full rosters of events at all hours.
“We’re the Sports Capital and we know that sports bring people together and that many people enjoy cheering on their favorite athletes and teams alongside other fans,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “The extended hours program is one way we can support local businesses and have fun celebrating the Olympics in our Nation’s Capital.”
Not a sports fan? Additional provisions allow twenty-four-hour operations for the city's Dine All Night festivities this fall, from September 19 through September 29 and Art All Night the weekend of September 27 and 28.
Businesses can apply for special late-night hours by Thursday, July 25. A roster of businesses open all night for the special events will soon be available on the ABCA website, which will be a helpful resource to see which spaces are likely screening live Olympic events.