The recent tick-up of more alcohol-permitted “entertainment zone” parties may turn into a flood of more such parties, as the SF supervisors just approved legislation to create a whole lot more of these parties downtown, and in SoMa and Union Square.  

Downtown San Francisco foot traffic remains relatively moribund compared to pre-pandemic levels, prompting Mayor Breed and SF City Hall to tinker with revitilization strategies like the Vacant to Vibrant pop-ups, night markets, and downtown “entertainment zones” where restaurants and bars can sell to-go alcohol to the revelers in the street where these events are happening. The first of those “entertainment zone” parties was last Friday’s Oktoberfest party on Front Street in front of Schroeder’s, Harrington’s Bar & Grill, and the Royal Exchange.

In late July, Supervisor Aaron Peskin proposed a streamlined process to create a whole lot more “entertainment zones” downtown, which just happens to be largely his district. Under Peskin’s proposal, neighborhoods’ community benefits districts (CBDs) would be able to get large-scale permits that they could use over and over, rather than getting individual permits for each event.

And on Tuesday, the SF Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Peskin’s expanded entertainment zone legislation.

Consider that the Downtown First Thursdays parties now happen once a month, or 12 times a year. Under Peskin’s just-passed legislation, CBDs would throw no fewer than 20 parties a year, and could even throw 100 or more of them.  

“Each CBD must commit to holding a minimum of twenty events annually at one or more specified locations within their CBD boundaries,” the legislation says. “The ordinance designates each Activation Location as an ‘Entertainment Zone,’ thus allowing brick-and-mortar bars and restaurants within the Entertainment Zone to sell alcohol for patrons to consume outdoors at the Downtown Activation event.”

Above we see the very complicated process for throwing one of these outdoor alcohol events as it exists now. Under this new legislation, the CBD would get a reusable permit that alcohol-serving businesses could just activate over and over.

This legislation does not apply to the entire city. Front Street has already been authorized, as we saw at the Oktoberfest party. But new micro-areas new approved as new entertainment zones include parts downtown (Balance Street at Gold Street, and the Landing at Leidesdorff), Yerba Buena (Annie Plaza, Jessie Street, and Minna Street), Union Square (Claude Lane, Maiden Lane, Harlan Place), and the East Cut (Natoma Street and Second Street).

Related: Yet More Outdoor Downtown ‘Entertainment Zone’ Parties Could Be Coming Under New Legislation From Aaron Peskin [SFist]

Image: @mcampbellSD via Twitter