Spirited debate over drinks in Montgomery Co. parks

You may soon be able to drink adult beverages without a permit in more parks across Montgomery County, Maryland.

In late September, after the county launched its “Picnic in the Park” program in August in nine parks to support nearby restaurants, the County’s planning board began allowing people 21 or older to responsibly drink beer, wine, mixed drinks and spirits in those parks.

Those parks are:

  • Jesup Blair Local Park
  • Acorn Urban Park
  • Germantown Town Center Urban Park
  • Norwood Local Park
  • Olney Manor Recreational Park
  • Takoma Urban Park
  • Wall Local Park
  • Wheaton Local Park
  • Wheaton Regional Park

On Thursday, the planning board is set to consider extending the suspension of the permit requirement — which is now scheduled to end on May 31 — and expand the program to four additional parks:

  • Elm Street Urban Park
  • Carroll Knolls Local Park
  • Ellsworth Urban Park
  • Flower Avenue Urban Park

Drinking can begin as early as 11 a.m., but must end at dusk.

Chris Cruise

Christopher Cruise is a writer, reporter and anchor at WTOP. He has worked at The Voice of America, where he anchored newscasts for the Learning English branch. He is a backup host for Westwood’s morning radio news programs, “America in the Morning” and “First Light,” and contributes to them weekly.

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