Sunset Theatre now part of Zoo City Social District

This story has been updated with corrections/clarifications from its original version.

Janet Imrick

Randolph Hub

ASHEBORO — Events at the Sunset Theatre will become part of the Zoo City Social District.

At the May 4 Asheboro City Council meeting, Recreation Services Director Jonathan Sermon presented the ordinance to amend the Recreation Services Policy Manual so that the theatre on Sunset Avenue falls under the regulations on serving, purchasing and carrying alcoholic beverages around downtown. The council approved the ordinance.

Sermon said that alcohol could only be sold at nonprofit events and only then if the event is approved to do so. 

Two provisions in the policy manual already allow alcohol at some non-profit events. Sermon says this new provision would expand access.

"When they fill out their rental form, they will have to present me a plan of what they want to do," Sermon told council members.

Asheboro's social district lets people buy an alcoholic beverage from an ABC permittee and carry it within a section of downtown, including inside non-permittee businesses that agree to participate. The district includes Sunset Avenue from South Church Street to South Fayetteville Street.

In addition, following is a statement by the City of Asheboro to correct and clarify information in the initial version of this story:

“The recent city action that this article reports on did not result in approval of alcohol sales for Sunset Theatre. The change to the Theatre's operational policy only is to allow the facility to be a participating property within the Social District. It is important to note that the entity sponsoring each Theatre event or renting the facility will have the option to decide whether to allow attendees to enter with a legally purchased alcoholic beverage. Further, such an option will only be available during the times when the Social District is in effect.”

The Zoo City Social District is in effect only on these days: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on each of the listed days.