Bigger Dayton DORA launches Wednesday; drinking district covers most of downtown

Kelly Tipton, 42, of Dayton, enjoys a drink in the Oregon District Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) on Friday, May 19, 2023. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF

Kelly Tipton, 42, of Dayton, enjoys a drink in the Oregon District Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) on Friday, May 19, 2023. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF

Downtown Dayton’s new outdoor drinking district launches Wednesday, June 14, which will allow people to walk around most of downtown with an alcoholic drink in hand.

Ohio’s Liquor Control Board has approved the new downtown Dayton Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), which replaces and greatly expands an existing outdoor drinking area in the Oregon District.

The Dayton City Commission approved the new DORA in late May.

A map of the proposed downtown Dayton Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA). CONTRIBUTED

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“It’s exciting to see months of collaboration, partnership, and hard work come to this result,” said Sandra Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership.

The new, much-larger DORA will be another amenity for downtown and should help downtown businesses, Gudorf said.

Inside DORA boundaries, people can buy alcohol in special to-go cups that can be carried outside and consumed on the street.

The new downtown DORA generally will be bordered by Wilkinson Street to the west, RiverScape MetroPark and the Great Miami River to the north, Keowee Street to the east and Sixth Street to the south.

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