Can I bring cans and bottles on a New Orleans picnic?

September 22, 2011 9:53 AM

Drinking outdoors in New Orleans: I'm planning a picnic with a large group of people in a New Orleans city park. I know outdoor drinking is permitted in New Orleans as long as the alcohol is consumed in a plastic cup and not the original container. My question is, can I bring a cooler of beer and wine to a city park, and serve the drinks in plastic cups? In other words, am I legally permitted to have open glass or metal containers outdoors as long as they're in a cooler?
posted by Ziggurat to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

Yes.

At least I think so - I was very drunk the last time we did this. I didn't get arrested or ticketed or anything.

Also, IANAL, IANYL.
posted by doyouknowwhoIam? at 9:59 AM on September 22, 2011

I just asked a friend who works at City Park. I'll let you know what she says.
posted by pyjammy at 9:59 AM on September 22, 2011

I think the glass might be a problem. I am in a completely different state, but our parks don't want glass containers because of the potential for broken glass in the grass.
posted by vitabellosi at 10:07 AM on September 22, 2011

Best answer: Okay, here's what she said:

No glass is permitted with the alcohol in it. So no wine bottles even if it's the travel vessel.

I suggest beer cans and wine in a box or the individual wines in the plastic cups and/or mar-go-ritas.
posted by pyjammy at 10:38 AM on September 22, 2011

Best answer: Realistically, people participate in events, including Park-sanctioned events (weddings, concerts, charity fundraisers, etc.) in the park all the time and they're not serving boxed wine (not that there's necessarily anything wrong with boxed wine). It is against the city's open containers laws to drink from glass and the park would prefer you didn't bring the glass, but you're not going to get arrested or anything if you pour from a glass wine bottle into a plastic cup. The cans aren't an issue, you can drink from cans anywhere except technically parking lots but that's never enforced either.
posted by CheeseLouise at 1:16 PM on September 22, 2011

Also, I'm sure it goes without saying that you'll bring your own heavy duty contractor bags to clean up. You might have to carry out your own trash, as it's a huge park and there aren't enough trash cans in most areas.
posted by CheeseLouise at 1:20 PM on September 22, 2011

Technically it's illegal but nobody is going to walk over and take them away. The "no bottles" rule is really meant for Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street when drunk people drop and/or throw things.

Then again, you can get decent boxed wine these days and it's a lot lighter for transporting. Plus the boxes may be recyclable, and you can't recycle glass here.
posted by radioamy at 1:49 PM on September 22, 2011

Best answer: Oh and to just explain the laws a little better, it's not that drinks have to be in a plastic cup, it's just that they have to be in something other than glass. Bars will have "go cups" at the door if you have a drink in a glass cup or beer in a bottle so you can take it to go (plus they don't want you stealing their glasses!). But beer in a can or wine in those cute little one-cups are totally fine.
posted by radioamy at 1:51 PM on September 22, 2011

Response by poster: Thanks so much everyone, that's fantastic! Much appreciate the info, and I have no problem with wine in a box, so we'll probably stick to that.
posted by Ziggurat at 2:40 PM on September 22, 2011