Learn how to offer extended hours for Art All Night 2025
Notice of Licensee Extension of Hours From September 12 to September 14, 2025
The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board (“Board”), pursuant to the authority set forth in D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g), hereby gives notice that it is extending the authorized hours of sales, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages at, and authorized hours of operation of, on-premises retailer licensees, manufacturers holding an on-site sales and consumption permit, and temporary licensees (collectively, “eligible licensees”) for the period of Friday evening, September 12, 2025 until 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2025. Specifically, the Board is authorizing each eligible licensee to extend its hours of sales, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages until 4:00 a.m. and extend its hours of operation to 24 hours each day, during the designated period, if the eligible licensee: (1) registers with the Board by September 9, 2025, and (2) pays a $100 fee.
The Board is taking this action pursuant to the authority provided by the On-Premises and On-Site Extended Hours Program Amendment Act of 2025, effective June 10, 2025 (D.C. Act 26-6) (“Act”). The Act added a new subsection (g) to section 25-723 of Title 25 of the District of Columbia Official Code. This new subsection authorizes the Board to extend the authorized hours of sales, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages at on-premises retailer licensees, manufacturers holding an on-site sales and consumption permit, and temporary licensees until 4:00 a.m., and the hours of operation to 24 hours a day, for cultural events, sporting events, or tourism-related events; provided, that the licensee registers with the Board, pays the registration fee as established by the Board, and provides written notice to the Board no later than 3 calendar days before the first day of the event of its extended hours of operations, sales, service, and consumption.
Under the law, a cultural event is defined as an event “that aims to highlight the customs, arts, music, dances, or cuisines of various cultures through performances and displays of artistic expression,” D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g)(5)(A); a sporting event is defined as “a professional or amateur event involving a game or athletic competition that occurs either once annually or every 4 years that is organized by a league or association,” D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g)(5)(B); and a tourism-related events is defined as “major festival, convention, or trade show, with the potential to attract visitors from outside a 50-mile radius of the District, and that is likely to produce a significant positive financial impact for the District,” D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g)(5)(C).
The Art All Night 2025 program will begin on Friday, September 12, 2025, and run through Saturday, September 13, 2025. This cultural event features a citywide festival that provides visual and performing arts attractions at indoor and outdoor public and private spaces all over the city and is expected to attract many residents and visitors to the District of Columbia.
In light of this important upcoming event, on July 9, 2025, the Board, in a 5-0 vote, decided to approve extending the hours of operation and alcohol sales for eligible licensees beginning Friday evening, September 12, 2025, through 4:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, September 14, 2025.
The Board also directed ABCA to provide notice of these extended hours to the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) at least 48 hours before the extended hours of operation take effect, and to provide MPD with a list of the licensees authorized to participate in the extended hours. The Board also directed ABCA to promptly post notice of the Board’s action to authorize the extended hours on the ABCA website and to promptly submit this notice to the Administrator of the Office of Documents and Administrative Issuances for publication in the District of Columbia Register.
