Buying Beer On Easter: Massachusetts Laws Explained

In Massachusetts, you can buy beer, wine, and liquor every day of the week. However, the Massachusetts Blue Laws control the hours of operation for certain businesses and require some businesses to abide by voluntariness of employment provisions on Sundays and some legal holidays. On Easter Sunday, you can buy alcohol from 10 a.m. onwards at a bar.

Massachusetts blue laws allow liquor stores to open at 10 a.m. on Sundays

In Massachusetts, you can buy beer, wine, and liquor every day of the week. On Sundays, Massachusetts Blue Laws allow liquor stores to open at 10 a.m. and sell alcohol from 10 a.m. until 11 p.m. Bars and restaurants can sell alcohol between 10 a.m. and 12 a.m. on Sundays, and in some locations, they can extend their hours until 2 a.m.

Massachusetts Blue Laws control the hours of operation for certain businesses and mandate that some businesses abide by voluntariness of employment provisions on Sundays and specific legal holidays. The Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission regulates the hours of operation for alcoholic beverage retailers.

While Easter is a religious holiday, it is not among the days where the sale of alcohol is prohibited in Massachusetts. Therefore, the regular Sunday hours for liquor stores apply, and residents can purchase alcohol from 10 a.m. onwards.

It is worth noting that there are separate legal sale hours for alcohol on specific days in Massachusetts. For example, on Memorial Day, there are no alcohol sales before 12 p.m., and on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, all off-premise sales are prohibited.

Alcohol can be sold and purchased on most Sundays from 10 a.m. onwards

In Massachusetts, you can buy beer, wine, and liquor every day of the week. On Sundays, alcohol can be purchased from 10 a.m. onwards. This applies to most Sundays throughout the year, including Easter Sunday.

Massachusetts' blue laws previously prevented liquor sales on Sundays altogether. However, in 2014, the beverage industry successfully campaigned to change the law, allowing alcohol sales from 10 a.m. onwards on Sundays. This change was made as part of the state's blue laws, which are enforced by the Attorney General's Office and control the hours of operation for certain businesses on Sundays and some legal holidays.

While Easter Sunday is an exception to the blue laws, there are other holidays when the sale of alcohol is prohibited in Massachusetts. These include Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, when all off-premise alcohol sales are banned. On-premise sales are permitted on Thanksgiving but not on Christmas. Additionally, on Memorial Day, there are no alcohol sales before 12 p.m., and on election days, off-premise alcohol sales are prohibited while the polls are open.

It is important to note that Massachusetts has dry towns that place strong limitations on the purchase of alcohol. These towns may restrict certain types of alcohol or the hours during which alcohol sales are permitted.

Massachusetts is not a dry state, and alcohol can be purchased every day of the week

In Massachusetts, you can buy beer, wine, and liquor every day of the week. The state is not a dry state and does not outlaw the sale of alcohol. However, there are some important restrictions and regulations to keep in mind.

Massachusetts has specific laws that control the hours of operation for certain businesses, including those that sell alcoholic beverages. These laws, known as the Massachusetts Blue Laws, are enforced by the Attorney General's Office. On regular days, from Monday to Saturday, you can purchase alcohol at a bar or restaurant between 8 am and 2 am, or at a convenience store between 8 am and 11 pm.

When it comes to Sundays, including Easter Sunday, the regulations are a bit different. In Massachusetts, you can buy alcohol from 10 am until 12 am at a bar, and from 10 am to 11 pm in liquor stores. This is a change from previous laws that prevented liquor sales on Sundays until 2014, when the law was changed to allow sales from 10 am onwards. It's important to note that Massachusetts has a list of holidays where the sale of alcohol is prohibited, and Easter is not included in that list.

In addition to the daily and Sunday restrictions, there are also special hour restrictions on specific days. On election days, there are no off-premise alcohol sales while the polls are open. On Memorial Day, alcohol sales are not permitted before 12 pm. On Thanksgiving Day, alcohol sales are allowed on-premise but not off-premise, and on Christmas Day, all alcohol sales are prohibited.

It's worth noting that Massachusetts grants localities the power to vote on their dry status. While there are no dry counties in the state, there are 8 dry towns that place strong limitations on when, where, and what types of alcohol can be purchased.

There are eight dry towns in Massachusetts with strong limitations on alcohol sales

In Massachusetts, you can buy beer on Easter Sunday. According to an article published by Black Tail NYC in 2022, a WBUR report states that liquor stores in the state are allowed to open at 10 a.m. on Sundays as part of its blue laws. Additionally, Mass.gov does not list Easter as one of the holidays where alcohol sales are prohibited.

However, it is worth noting that Massachusetts has a history of strict alcohol regulations. The state was one of the first to adopt Prohibition in 1920 and was the 12th state to ratify the 18th Amendment. While Prohibition was repealed in 1933, some towns in Massachusetts continue to have strong limitations on alcohol sales.

There are currently eight "dry" towns in Massachusetts, where the sale of alcoholic beverages is forbidden:

• Alford, Berkshire County
• Dunstable, Middlesex County
• Chilmark, Dukes County
• Gosnold, Dukes County
• Hawley, Franklin County
• Montgomery, Hampden County
• West Hampton, Hampshire County
• Mount Washington, Berkshire County

In these dry towns, there are no issued liquor licenses, and alcohol cannot be sold in stores, bars, or restaurants. However, it is still legal to consume alcohol in private residences. The number of dry towns in Massachusetts has decreased over time, with 20 such towns in 2000, and it continues to evolve; for example, Rockport approved alcohol consumption in restaurants in 2006, with further loosening of restrictions in 2011.

On-premise retailers like bars and restaurants can sell alcohol for immediate consumption

On-premise retailers like bars and restaurants in Massachusetts can sell alcohol for immediate consumption. These laws can be confusing and are ever-changing, so it's important to stay informed.

Massachusetts has what are called "blue laws", which control the hours of operation for certain businesses and require some businesses to abide by voluntariness of employment provisions on Sundays and some legal holidays. These laws are enforced by the Attorney General's Office.

The Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission regulates when alcoholic beverage retailers may be open. On-premise retailers like bars and restaurants can sell alcohol between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m. from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays, they can sell alcohol from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m., with some locations allowing an extension until 2 a.m.

It's important to note that there are additional hour restrictions on specific days. For example, on election days, there are no off-premise alcohol sales while the polls are open. On Memorial Day, there are no alcohol sales before 12 p.m., and on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, all off-premise sales are prohibited, while on-premise sales are allowed on Thanksgiving but not on Christmas.

In addition to the days mentioned, Easter Sunday also has specific regulations. Alcohol sales are permitted on Easter Sunday, but only after 10 a.m. This is a change from previous years, when liquor stores were allowed to start selling at noon. Now, with the change in the law, alcohol sales are permitted two hours earlier, at 10 a.m.

So, if you're looking to enjoy a drink at a bar or restaurant in Massachusetts, be sure to check the time and day, as the regulations vary.

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