For the first time, people will be able to consume alcoholic beverages at an Athens festival.

City Council members voted 5-0 Monday to approve applications for a special event retail license and the never-before-used sidewalk street festival license, which the council made way for last year.

The Athens Arts League will sell beer and wine at its downtown Athens After Hours event from 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 13. Attendees who wish to drink alcoholic beverages at the event will be confined to a fenced-in area on Washington Street from its intersection with Marion Street and down to the train tracks, City Attorney Shane Black told the council. Under the rules, the drinking area must be delineated and visible to city officials and the Alabama Beverage Control Board, with a free-standing fence, security provided and no glass drinking containers allowed, the attorney said.

“This is the council’s first street-fair permit request,” Black said.

Council members created the permit option in December last year, but this is the first group to request it.

Councilman Joseph Cannon said after the meeting this first approval of the festival license is kind of a “baby step” for Athens into the arts and entertainment districts available in Decatur, Huntsville and Florence. In a typical A&E district, residents can consume alcoholic beverages within a specified area of city blocks. However, in Athens, the festival area is cordoned off by a free-standing fence and covers much less ground than a typical A&E district.

In December 2017, council members voted to amend city ordinances governing alcoholic beverages and sidewalk dining to allow the regulated sale of alcohol during sidewalk dining and festivals. They also approved other amendments to the alcohol ordinance.

This allows the city to permit licensees with a special events liquor license to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on or along a portion of a sidewalk, street or public way downtown. The rule applies to those with licenses for festival events, entertainment events or other recreational events the public can attend.

Black said some off-duty police officers will be hired to provide security at the After Hours event.

Perhaps the best feature of all at the event?

Elvis the singing impersonator will be there, Black said.