More than a dozen downtown Dunedin restaurants, bars and breweries want the city to let customers walk Main Street with a drink in hand. They hope an open-container district and a revived monthly street event can pull the summer tourism season out of a slump.

The coalition pitched two proposals to the Dunedin City Commission on Friday, July 10: a "sip and stroll" program allowing patrons to carry alcoholic beverages in city-approved cups through a designated downtown zone, and the return of Second Friday, a once-popular monthly event that brought live music, vendors and crowds to the corridor.

Commissioners did not vote on either idea but directed city staff to research both and report back at a future meeting.

Business owners describe a slow summer season

Jason Seibert, a Dunedin entrepreneur and pub owner leading the coalition, told Tampa Bay 28 that the slow season has put expansion plans on hold for many businesses in the district.

"Fortunately, we have not had to lay off any employees, but plans to expand or extra spending is not something that we're entertaining, for the most part, right now," Seibert said.

He described the commission's initial response as positive and said he has scheduled follow-up meetings with several city leaders.

Visitor John Hickey, from South Carolina, said the downtown pubs he visited had "very few people." Hickey told the outlet he supports the open-container idea, saying it would bring more business to the area.

Other cities have already tried similar programs

Seibert pointed to similar programs already operating in the region. Largo city commissioners approved their own "Sip and Stroll" ordinance in June 2026, aiming to energize the area around the city's $85 million new city hall. Tampa's Riverwalk also permits open-container walking. Seibert said other cities have already tested similar programs, reducing the risk for Dunedin.

What's still unknown

The coalition has not released a full list of participating businesses beyond describing its membership as "more than a dozen" establishments.

City staff have not announced when their findings will come before commissioners. Residents can follow the city commission's meeting agendas for updates on when the proposals return for discussion.