The Oshkosh common council approved a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) for the Sawdust District, allowing people to carry and consume alcoholic beverages outdoors and on sidewalks during designated hours and under specified conditions.
The Sawdust District DORA was approved Tuesday, Sept. 23 and generally covers the South Main Street area, connecting the district with downtown.
The Sawdust District Entertainment Collaborative, formed by a group of business owners in the district, proposed the DORA and say it is intended to encourage people to walk between establishments and visit multiple businesses during one outing.
“We wanted people to have the opportunity to come to our restaurants and bars prior to events, get drinks, get food and then be able to walk down to the [Oshkosh Arena] and have a drink in their hand while they’re waiting in line to get into the building,” says Zach Clark, co-owner of Fifth Ward Brewing Company and a member of the collaborative.
Participating establishments currently include Flights Wine and Cocktail Club, Badger Tavern inside Mill on Main, Greenes Pour House at the Granary, Dockside Tavern, Sometimes at Pioneer Island, Fifth Ward Brewing Company, Houge’s Bar, Evil Roy Slades and Oshkosh Arena, including 1212 Sports Pub & Grill. The Main Street and Oregon Street bridges are also included.
The DORA’s hours initially will be 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 1 to 10 p.m. Saturdays, mirroring those of the city’s existing downtown DORA which was established in 2022. The collaborative had requested hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, but city staff recommended using the existing downtown hours. The hours will be revisited at a council meeting in October.
The Oshkosh Police Department supports the DORA and does not expect significant enforcement or public-safety issues based on its experience with the downtown district. The city also does not anticipate additional costs or police staffing for the Sawdust District DORA.
The collaborative plans to promote the DORA in conjunction with Sawdust Nights, an evening market and entertainment event scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Oshkosh Arena.
Clark says the DORA and events like Sawdust Nights are pieces of the district’s ongoing development which the collaborative is working to accelerate.
“We’re trying to figure out how to come together as a district to make people excited to come down here and create opportunities for joint events,” he says. “There’s a big vision, but we got to take small steps or start to crawl first.”
