New Year's spirits

It will be a dry New Year’s Eve in Cullman, that is if you didn’t purchase your champagne or other alcoholic beverages Saturday.

Local wet municipalities — Cullman, Good Hope and Hanceville — do not allow Sunday alcohol sales so restaurants licensed to serve beer, wine and liquor can’t serve it to New Year’s Eve revelers.

Popular Cullman restaurants like Moe’s Original BBQ and Goat Island Brewing celebrated the beginning of 2018 Saturday night — when they could serve alcohol — and opted to close Sunday.

Private clubs and venues, like TP Country Club, that are exempt from the ban on Sunday alcohol sales, weren’t hosting New Year’s Eve events; StoneBridge Farms hosted a wedding while The Grille at Trident Marina on Smith Lake was closed.

Cullman city officials said this marks the first time New Year’s Eve has fallen on a Sunday since the city voted to go wet in November 2010. Per city ordinance, alcohol sales can’t begin again until 8 a.m. Monday.

“So if you want it, then you had better get it by Saturday night,” said Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs Friday. “All our local restaurants that serve alcohol are aware of the ordinance and know they can’t sell it Sunday, even though it’s New Year’s Eve.”