Downtown Winnsboro was filled with music Saturday night as residents and visitors gathered on The Bowery for a free concert that also marked the launch of the city’s new Social District.
The Darrin Morris Band took the stage Sept. 19 for Winnsboro Live!, performing a mix of the band’s original songs and country favorites as a crowd filled the Market Street area.
Some brought lawn chairs, while others stood around bistro tables or found seats on benches along The Bowery. A makeshift dance floor was set up in the street, and couples took advantage of it throughout the evening.
The concert also gave the city its first chance to put the newly created Winnsboro Social District into use.
The Winnsboro City Council approved the district Sept. 8. It allows adults 21 and older to purchase alcoholic beverages from participating licensed downtown businesses and carry their drinks outdoors within the designated area. Drinks must be in an official Winnsboro Social District cup and must stay within the marked boundaries.
Outside alcohol and coolers are not allowed.
Market Street was closed to traffic for Saturday’s concert, allowing people to move around the concert area and visit downtown businesses. Businesses displaying green stickers allowed customers carrying Social District drinks to enter.
The Social District changes how alcohol can be consumed in the downtown area. Winnsboro city ordinances generally prohibit drinking alcohol on public property, including public streets. The city already had an exception allowing alcohol consumption in designated areas during certain city-sponsored events or permitted festivals when the area was closed to through traffic.
The new Social District creates a designated downtown area where drinks purchased from participating businesses can be carried outside under the district’s rules.
City Administrator Makenzie Lyons said before the event that she was looking forward to seeing what the district could mean for downtown businesses and events.
“We are excited to welcome the Darrin Morris Band to Winnsboro this weekend and to celebrate the grand opening of our new Social District,” Lyons said. “I’m excited to see the opportunities the district may create for our downtown businesses, events and visitors, and I can’t think of a better way to kick it off than with live music on The Bowery.”
Saturday’s crowd included local residents as well as people who came from outside the area. Restaurants, shops and other downtown businesses remained open during the concert, giving people a chance to eat, shop or grab a drink while enjoying the music.
The Bowery name itself is part of Winnsboro’s history. In the late 1800s, the area near the railroad was known as The Bowery and was home to saloons, gambling halls and other businesses that served workers in the area’s timber industry. The street later became known as Market Street.
More than a century later, people once again gathered on The Bowery Saturday night for drinks, live music and dancing, this time for the opening night of Winnsboro’s new Social District.