OCEAN CITY, Md. — The Ocean City Mayor and Council will meet Tuesday to discuss whether to ask state lawmakers to amend a bill that could allow bars and restaurants in town to sell alcohol to-go during special events.
The legislation would allow the Worcester County Board of License Commissioners to issue a special permit to establishments that already hold liquor licenses. This permit would let customers take beer, wine, or spirits outside the business during designated events. As written, the bill would apply to all Worcester County towns, including Ocean City.
Under current rules, customers must finish their drinks at the establishment before returning to the event.
Jeremy Brink, owner of Ocean 13, said he supports the proposed bill. He added that as long as drinks are served responsibly, he sees no issue with allowing to-go alcohol. "Honestly, as long as it's responsible business owners and bartenders that are giving the drinks to-go to other responsible adults, I personally don't see any issue with it. I think it's a great idea," he said.
The town of Ocean City opposes the change. The council is considering requesting that the bill apply only to areas within Worcester County outside the corporate limits of Ocean City, citing concerns about the town’s large-scale events. With festivals such as the St. Patrick’s Parade, OC BikeFest, Cruisin’ Ocean City, and the Air Show drawing thousands of visitors, the council is concerned that to-go alcohol could make it harder to control open containers, prevent underage drinking, and manage public safety.
The council will discuss the issue during its meeting Tuesday.
