The streets of downtown Cotter came alive last weekend as residents and visitors celebrated the launch of the city’s new entertainment district. For the first time in more than a century, people enjoyed alcoholic beverages outdoors in the city’s downtown square. This was a major milestone in the small tourist city’s continued steering of a growing fishing and tourism industry.
Cotter Bridge Market and Alkanzen Bar hosted a Saturday block party and bonfire, featuring live music by Jim Massey and local musician Jacob Kassinger. The event was held in conjunction with the Odyssey Art Walk, which showcases a variety of artists, including Jenna Wehrlein, known for her Hawaiian-inspired artwork.
The celebration marked the implementation of the Cotter River District, which was established by a city council ordinance passed a month earlier. The district encompasses much of downtown Cotter and includes popular spots like Cotter Bridge Market, Alcanzen Bar, and The Sands Restaurant.
The new ordinance marks a dramatic departure from Cotter’s long history of regulating alcohol. When the state of Arkansas prohibited the sale of alcohol in 1915, Cotter, then a small community, had no local saloon. However, some residents found themselves among the state’s bootleggers to meet the demand.
After National Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Baxter County, including Cotter, voted to ban alcohol sales again in 1945. It was not until 1978 that Baxter County returned to “wet” status due to an election with unprecedented voter turnout.
Despite the county’s wet conditions, Cotter maintained some restrictive ordinances. As recently as 2022, the Cotter City Council had to approve a one-time exemption for alcohol sales during the popular FT3 Fly Fishing Movie Tour at a local park.
The creation of the Cotter River District was led by Mayor Mac Carradine in collaboration with local business owners and officials. Key players include incoming state Rep. Jason Nazarenko, Andy Dill of Ozark Mountain Trading Company, Randy Coates of The Sands, and Nicole Hatchett of Cotter Bridge Market and Alcanzen. It will be done.
Mountain Home Mayor Hilly Adams and Russell Tucker, Co-Owner of Barren Brewing in Rupp, provided valuable support and shared insights from their experience building Arkansas’ first entertainment district in Mountain Home in 2019 I did.
City officials hope the entertainment district will lead to steady, slow growth in Cotter City as the small city continues to lead north Arkansas’ growing tourism industry.
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