The City of Jasper has announced that the Downtown Jasper Social District will temporarily suspend operations during the week surrounding the annual Jasper Strassenfest celebration. The closure will begin at midnight on Saturday, July 26th, and the social district will reopen on Friday, August 9th at 10 AM.
The Downtown Jasper Social District operates as a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), allowing adults of legal drinking age to purchase alcoholic beverages from participating establishments and carry them within the designated downtown area in approved containers. The initiative was designed to encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more time enjoying local businesses, events and community spaces, ultimately generating more revenue for area establishments.
The temporary closure coincides with the 47th Annual Jasper Strassenfest, which will take place from July 31 through August 3, 2025, in downtown Jasper. The German-inspired street festival features live entertainment on multiple downtown stages, polka music, hot air balloons, food vendors, games, contests, and carnival rides. This year’s festival theme celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Jasper/Pfaffenweiler Sister Cities Partnership, honoring the relationship between the two sister cities.
During the closure period, the ten permitted vendors within the social district will be prohibited from serving open alcoholic beverages for carryout. These participating establishments include Café Pina, Headquarters Inc, Oink Smokehouse and Southern Kitchen, Owsley’s Lounge, Jasper Pub ‘N’ Grub, St. Benedicts Brew Works, Tre’Viones, The Astra Theatre, Odd Fellows, and Snaps.
Under normal operating conditions, the social district requires that alcoholic beverages be purchased in designated cups from approved vendors and consumed only within the defined district boundaries. The district also maintains strict rules prohibiting the possession of open containers in motor vehicles and establishing other regulations that carry potential class C infraction penalties for violations.
The social district typically operates daily from 10 AM until midnight, with the exception of the temporary closure period surrounding Strassenfest. The City of Jasper’s Department of Community Development and Planning has indicated that residents with questions about the closure can contact their office at 812-482-4255.
The social district was established through Indiana Senate legislation that enabled municipalities to create designated outdoor refreshment areas. Since its implementation in March 2024, the district has become part of the downtown Jasper experience, allowing visitors to enjoy beverages while exploring the courthouse square area and surrounding businesses.
The timing of the closure appears designed to accommodate the logistics and crowd management needs of Strassenfest, which transforms downtown Jasper into a festival venue for the four-day celebration. The reopening on August 9th will allow the social district to resume normal operations after the conclusion of festival activities and cleanup efforts.
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