This weekend, the Distillery District is on-board with the new liquor laws in Ontario!

Liquor will soon be flowing through the pedestrian alleys of Toronto’s Distillery District again, thanks to recent changes to Ontario’s alcohol laws.

Because of the relaxed laws, Distillery District visitors will be allowed to leave licensed businesses or patios and roam the brick-lined streets with a drink in hand during special events, starting this weekend.

People will get their first opportunity when the district hosts Toronto Jazz Festival performances Friday to Thursday, the Mountain Equipment Co-op Bikefest on Saturday and the Food Truck Eats event July 2 and 3.

Mathew Rosenblatt of Cityscape Developments, the Distillery District’s owner, said the district will be the first location in Toronto to “offer drinking regulations which conform to these new policies.”

With the relaxed liquor laws, people can walk around freely with drinks at festivals and events, instead of being restricted to a beer tent.

The laws were designed to attract visitors to events.

The changes, which came into effect June 1, also allow:

• Restaurant and bar servers to carry drinks on public sidewalks to licensed areas such as patios
• Special events such as weddings or charity fundraisers to serve alcohol for an extra hour until 2 a.m.
• All-inclusive vacation packages
• Business owners to give a complimentary drink to customers celebrating a special event, including a wedding anniversary or birthday

Are you excited for the new law? I can’t wait, although it will take some getting used to….!