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Centerville approves street closures and alcohol waiver for Drink Maryland event; downtown organizers plan changes after lower tasting-pass sales
Summary
The Town Council granted a temporary waiver to allow alcohol consumption during the June 7 Drink Maryland event and approved street closures for June 7 and Centerville Day on Oct. 25; organizers discussed attendance trends and potential format changes.
The Centerville Town Council approved a temporary waiver of the town code to allow alcohol consumption on public streets for the Drink Maryland tasting event scheduled for June 7, 2025, and approved street closures for that event and for Centerville Day on Oct. 25, giving event organizers permission to use Lawyers Row and Broadway for the celebrations.
At the council meeting Carol d'Agostino, representing Centerville Main Street, described the Drink Maryland event as a seven-year, volunteer-run festival that grew out of a Main Street market study recommendation to attract visitors and support local businesses. "We wanted to highlight Maryland makers," she said, and explained the town partnered with the Maryland Wineries Association for alcohol service training and crowd-safety planning.
Attendance trends and proposed changes: Organizers told the council that tasting-pass sales dipped to 462 last year from a typical level near 700. Carol d'Agostino and other event planners discussed possible format changes to broaden both local and visitor appeal, including mixing artisan and alcohol vendors across the event footprint and adding a ticketed VIP experience to create more bounce-back business for year-round brick-and-mortar shops.
Council action: The council voted to waive Chapter 7, Article 1, Section 7-22(a) for June 7 between noon and 5 p.m. and then approved street closures for Drinks Maryland (June 7) and Centerville Day (Oct. 25). The motions carried with no recorded opposition.
Context and next steps: Council members emphasized safety and advance coordination after an organizer acknowledged that a Facebook "save the date" post went out before formal council approval; the organizer apologized and said the early post was not intended to bypass council review. Organizers said they will provide attendance and tasting-pass sales data to the council and continue work to translate event visitors into sustained business for Centerville.
Ending: The council also asked organizers to consider rebranding or renaming options to reduce emphasis on alcohol in marketing and to return with any changes to the event format and plans to increase patronage of downtown businesses.
