Closing time in the District is about to get later.
That’s because D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently signed legislation allowing bars, restaurants and nightclubs to extend their hours for the Olympics, which will take place from July 26 to Aug. 11. The extended hours will also apply for the Paralympics, which will happen from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8.
Venues that want to participate must register with D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration by submitting a form in time for the July 25 deadline. If approved, they can sell alcohol between 6 a.m. and 4 a.m. during the dates of both the Olympics and Paralympics.
“Some of these competitions are happening early in the morning, late at night,” said Salah Czapary, director of the D.C. Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture. “That allows our bars and nightclubs to open early, stay open later and gather people together, cheer on their teams.”
Bars, restaurants and nightclubs can’t serve alcohol between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., but can serve food 24 hours. Despite that, it’s an opportunity to bring additional revenue to the city and its businesses.
“People forget that D.C. is more than just a federal town. We’re a town of people that like to go out and enjoy,” Czapary said. “We are not just the best city on the planet, we’re the most important city on the planet.”
That makes the District a perfect destination for tourists looking to celebrate the Olympics season, Czapary said — and it benefits the city’s economy, too.
“When we have an event like the Olympics, people from all over the world want to come and cheer on their national teams,” Czapary said. “We know from the businesses that extra hours bring in extra revenue, which, for the city, brings an extra tax revenue.”
The Mayor’s Office of Nightclub and Culture is teaming up with Penn Quarter Sports Tavern, which will be hosting an Olympics watch party on Friday, July 26, for the opening ceremony.
Kareem Stewart, general manager of Penn Quarter Sports Tavern, told WTOP that it’ll help the restaurant “in boosting our revenue.”
“Since the pandemic, everybody working from home, it’s really hurt business,” Stewart said. “So having anything late-night, out of our normal business hours, for an attraction, especially during the summertime, that will definitely boost our numbers.”
