Last-Minute Beer Runs On New Year's Eve: What's Open?

Whether you can buy beer on New Year's Eve depends on where you live. While some states allow the sale of alcohol on New Year's Eve, others have more restrictive laws in place. For example, in Texas, liquor stores are prohibited from opening on Sundays and certain holidays, including New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. This can result in extended periods where liquor stores are closed, such as a 61-hour closure from 9 pm on Saturday to 10 am on Tuesday. However, in other states, such as Connecticut, only takeaway alcohol sales are banned on New Year's Eve. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of the specific laws in your state or locality to ensure you don't run out of beer during your New Year's Eve celebrations.

Beer and wine can be purchased at grocery and convenience stores on New Year's Eve

Whether you can buy beer on New Year's Eve depends on where you live. In the US, for example, it depends on what your state deems appropriate. Even then, further rules and regulations may apply at the local level.

In Texas, for instance, state law requires liquor stores to be closed on Sundays and holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, liquor stores must also close the following Monday. So, if you're in Texas, you won't be able to buy liquor on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. However, you can still buy beer and wine at grocery and convenience stores on these days. According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, beer and wine can be sold from Monday to Friday, 7 am to midnight, on Saturdays from 7 am to 1 am, and on Sundays from 10 am to midnight.

In Connecticut, takeaway alcohol is banned on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. However, beer can usually be bought in grocery stores, except on these holidays. Connecticut also bans alcohol sales on the Monday following a Sunday Christmas and New Year's Day.

In North Carolina, another control state, stores are closed on Sundays and most holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Luckily, wine and beer are sold in grocery stores, so you can still get some drinks even if you miss out on liquor.

Therefore, while you may not be able to purchase liquor on New Year's Eve in certain states, beer and wine can generally be purchased at grocery and convenience stores. Be sure to check the specific laws in your state or locality to ensure you don't run into any issues.

Liquor stores are closed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day

If you're planning to celebrate the New Year with a drink, it's important to plan ahead as liquor stores may be closed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day depending on your location. In the United States, for example, there are no federal laws prohibiting liquor sales on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. However, each state and county has its own regulations, and many maintain Prohibition-era laws that restrict alcohol sales on Sundays and certain holidays.

Take Texas, for instance. Due to Texas Liquor Laws, Texans are prohibited from purchasing liquor from stores for a 61-hour period around the New Year if New Year's Day falls on a Monday. This is because Texas law mandates that liquor stores remain closed on Sundays and holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. So, if you need alcohol for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day, you would need to buy it before 9 p.m. on the Saturday before, as liquor stores will be closed from Saturday at 9 p.m. until Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Other states have similar restrictions. For instance, North Carolina, a control state, requires liquor stores to be closed on Sundays and most holidays, including New Year's Day. In Connecticut, takeaway alcohol sales are banned on New Year's Day, and in Minnesota, the sale of "intoxicating liquor" is prohibited on New Year's Eve after 8 p.m. and all day on New Year's Day.

Therefore, it is essential to be aware of the specific laws and regulations in your area to ensure you don't run out of drinks during your New Year's celebrations.

Liquor stores are open on New Year's Eve until 9 pm in Texas

If you're planning a New Year's Eve celebration in Texas, take note of the state's liquor laws to avoid a dry start to the new year. While you can buy beer and wine from grocery and convenience stores on New Year's Eve, liquor stores are a different story.

Texas has some unique liquor laws that you should be aware of. Due to the Texas Liquor Control Act, which was passed in 1935 after the repeal of Prohibition, liquor stores in the state must remain closed on Sundays and certain holidays. This includes Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If any of these holidays fall on a Sunday, the ban extends to the following Monday.

So, what does this mean for New Year's Eve? If New Year's Eve falls on a Sunday, as it does in 2023, liquor stores across Texas will be closed for the entire day. This is because, according to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), liquor stores in Texas are typically allowed to operate from 10 am to 9 pm, Monday through Saturday. Therefore, if you need liquor for New Year's Eve, make sure to purchase it before 9 pm on Saturday, December 30.

It's worth noting that these restrictions only apply to liquor stores. If you're looking for beer or wine, you're in luck! Grocery and convenience stores are legally allowed to sell beer and wine from 10 am to midnight on Sundays. So, if you're in need of a last-minute drink on New Year's Eve, you can still find it at these locations.

While Texas has strict laws regarding the sale of liquor on Sundays and holidays, there are ongoing efforts to modify these laws. There have been attempts to allow for a wider variety of alcohol sales on Sundays, and a bill was even filed in 2023 to enable the sale of ready-to-drink cocktails by grocery and convenience stores any day of the week. However, as of now, the Texas Liquor Control Act remains in place, so plan your purchases accordingly for New Year's Eve!

State-run liquor stores are closed on New Year's Day

Whether you can buy beer on New Year's Eve depends on the state and local laws of where you live. While there are no state-wide laws that forbid liquor sales on New Year's Eve, state-run liquor stores are closed on New Year's Day.

In Texas, for example, state law requires liquor stores to be closed on Sundays and holidays, including New Year's Day. If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, then liquor sales are also banned on the following Monday. This means that, in 2024, Texans will experience a 61-hour period where liquor stores are closed, from 9 pm on Saturday, December 30, until 10 am on Tuesday, January 2.

In Connecticut, takeaway alcohol sales are banned on New Year's Day, so beer cannot be bought in grocery stores on that day. However, beer and wine can be bought in grocery and convenience stores on New Year's Eve.

In North Carolina, state-run stores are closed on Sundays and holidays, including New Year's Day, so liquor cannot be bought on that day. However, beer and wine can be bought in grocery stores.

In Pennsylvania, state-run liquor stores are closed on New Year's Day.

In Utah, retail alcohol over 4% ABV is sold exclusively by state-run stores, which are closed on Sundays and holidays, including New Year's Day.

In Virginia, state-run stores are closed on Christmas Day and have limited hours on New Year's Day.

Alcohol sales are permitted on New Year's Eve in some states

Alcohol sales laws on New Year's Eve vary across the United States. While some states permit alcohol sales on this day, others have restrictions in place, and it is important to be aware of the specific regulations in your state.

In Texas, for example, liquor stores are prohibited from operating on Sundays and certain holidays, including New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, due to the Texas Liquor Control Act. This can result in extended periods where liquor stores are closed, such as 61 consecutive hours from 9 pm on Saturday, December 30, until 10 am on Tuesday, January 2, for the 2023-2024 New Year. However, Texans can purchase beer and wine from grocery or convenience stores on these holidays, as long as the stores are open.

Other states, such as Arkansas, have similar restrictions on liquor sales on New Year's Day. In Arkansas, all alcohol sales, including beer and wine, are banned on Christmas Day, and Sunday sales are prohibited in some counties. Connecticut also bans the sale of takeaway alcohol on New Year's Day and the Monday following if it falls on a Sunday.

On the other hand, some states have more relaxed laws regarding alcohol sales on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. For instance, in Colorado, grocery stores can sell full-strength wine and beer, although takeaway alcohol sales are still banned on Christmas Day.

It is worth noting that even within a state, local ordinances and county-level regulations may further impact alcohol sales on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Therefore, it is always advisable to check the specific laws in your area and plan ahead to avoid disappointment.

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