Colfax leaders weigh alcohol-friendly event zoning on these downtown streets
The city of Colfax is considering an entertainment zone that would allow alcohol consumption on select public streets during approved events.
Entertainment zones were authorized under Senate Bill 969, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September 2024. The law allows cities and counties statewide to establish designated areas where open-container rules can be temporarily lifted through local ordinances.
The proposed zone would cover Main Street between Depot Street and Church Street, including the historic Colfax Passenger Station and the Colfax Heritage Museum, as well as the Colfax Hotel at Grass Valley and Auburn streets.
While the city of Auburn operated an entertainment zone every weekend, Colfax’s proposal would limit the zone to specific events.
Officials said the goal was to allow parents attending community events to have a drink while walking through the event area with their children.
The City Council was scheduled to hold the first reading of the ordinance May 13. Caroline McCully, the city’s mayor, said she hoped the second reading would occur May 27.
“Then it goes active 30 days after that, so it will go active right in time for our Third of July celebration,” she said.
Colfax hosts several annual events, including the Third of July celebration, Railroad Days and the Christmas Tree Lighting.
Event organizers would not automatically activate the entertainment zone. Instead, they would need to request activation through the city’s event application.
McCully said many events currently used beer gardens, which limited alcohol consumption to one designated area.
“When you don’t have another adult with you, it’s really hard to be able to go get one glass of wine or one beer because you have your kids with you,” she said. “Kids don’t get to go into beer gardens and events like this.”
Under the proposal, parents could carry alcoholic drinks while walking through the event area.
“It helps alleviate that challenge of not being able to enjoy an event quite as much if you have kids with you, and it makes it so that you can see everything in your venue space,” McCully said.
She said the intent was also to encourage responsible drinking.
“They’re not sitting there drinking beer, after beer, after beer. They’re still taking one drink with them because they’re just getting one drink at a time,” McCully said. “We’re not double fisting it, right?”
City officials were still working out operational details, including whether participants would receive a stamp, wristband or designated cup. McCully said the city also plans to coordinate with the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
“We want to make sure that our sheriffs are very supportive of how we’re choosing to do this and that they don’t foresee any problems,” she said. “From my conversations so far, they seem pretty comfortable with it.”
Elise Soviar, a spokesperson for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, said the agency was committed to working collaboratively with city leadership.
“The Placer County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working collaboratively with city leadership, local businesses, and community members to support a safe and positive environment if the process moves forward,” she said. “We will continue to monitor what happens and remain committed to providing public safety services to the community.”
