§ 8-311. Queen Anne's County

   (a) Definitions. --

   (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

   (2) "Board" means the Queen Anne's County Board of License Commissioners.

   (3) "Festival" means a Beer and Wine Festival (BWF) in Queen Anne's County.

(b) Applicability. -- This section applies only in Queen Anne's County.

(c) License authorized. -- The Board may issue a special festival license.

(d) Requirements. -- Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, an applicant for a special festival license shall be a holder of an existing State retail alcoholic beverages license, State Class 3 winery license, or State Class 4 limited winery license issued under this article.

(e) Scope of license. -- A special festival licensee shall:

   (1) Only display and sell:

      (i) Wine that is:

         1. Manufactured and processed in any state;

         2. Price filed in accordance with regulations adopted by the Comptroller; and

         3. Distributed in the State at the time the application is filed; and

      (ii) Beer that is brewed by a brewer:

         1. Who brews less than 60,000 barrels of beer annually; and

         2. Whose product is distributed in the State at the time the application is filed;

   (2) Display and sell beer and wine at retail for consumption on or off the licensed premises on the days and for the hours designated for the Festival; and

   (3) Display and sell wine that is manufactured and processed in any state at retail for consumption off the licensed premises on the days and for the hours designated for the Festival.

(f) Holding other licenses not prohibited. -- This section does not prohibit the holder of a special festival license from holding another alcoholic beverages license of a different class or nature.

(g) Fee; time, location and focus of Festival. -- The Board:

   (1) May establish the license fee;

   (2) May select a maximum of 4 weekends each year, Friday through Sunday inclusive, for a Festival provided that the weekend that is selected does not occur within 14 days on either side of the Maryland Wine Festival;

   (3) Shall choose a location in the county for a Festival which is not licensed under this article; and

   (4) Shall ensure that the primary focus of a Festival is the promotion of Maryland beer and wine.

(h) Wine displayed and sold at Festival. --

   (1) Products displayed and sold shall be:

      (i) Invoiced to the festival license holder by a licensed State wholesaler, winery, or limited winery; and

      (ii) Delivered to the Festival from the licensed premises of the wholesaler, winery, or limited winery.

   (2) Whenever a festival license is issued pursuant to this subsection, holders of wholesale, winery, or limited winery licenses may enter into an agreement with the holder of a festival license to deliver beer and wine 2 days prior to the effective date, and to accept returns 2 days after the expiration date of the festival license.

(i) Regulations. -- The Board shall adopt regulations for implementing this section.

HISTORY: 1995, ch. 541, § 2; ch. 3, § 1; 1996, ch. 359, § 1; 1997, ch. 724, § 1; 1998, ch. 303; 1999, ch. 87, § 1; 2001, ch. 29, § 6; 2013, ch. 356.