Full List of States Limiting Alcohol Sales on Thanksgiving

By Sam StevensonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

As Thanksgiving arrives today, millions of Americans will rely on last-minute grocery runs, often including a trip for beer, wine, or spirits.

But in many parts of the country, centuries-old regulations known as "blue laws" still restrict or ban alcohol sales on major holidays like Thanksgiving.

Whether or not you can buy alcohol depends on where you live because each state sets its own rules on where, when, and how much of it can be purchased.

Why It Matters

Restrictions vary widely by state and even locality, potentially upending holiday plans for unprepared shoppers and highlighting ongoing debates over the role of such laws in modern society.

Understanding which states uphold these rules helps consumers avoid inconvenient surprises and underscores the lasting impact of historical legislation on contemporary commerce.

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What To Know

Blue laws are state and local regulations, originally intended to enforce religious observance on Sundays and major holidays, that limit certain commercial activities.

First enacted by Puritans, they restricted activities like alcohol sales, hunting, and even car purchases on dates including Thanksgiving.

Named after the blue paper they were printed on, these laws were upheld by the Supreme Court as promoting a uniform day of rest.

Most states have since repealed or ignored them—California and Oregon, for example, no longer enforce blue laws, with California’s Supreme Court ruling them unconstitutional for imposing religious observance.

While many of these laws have been relaxed or repealed over the decades, a surprising number remain in effect on holidays such as Thanksgiving.

According to VinePair, restrictions range from outright bans on all alcohol sales to partial limitations that depend on beverage type or store category.

Even in states permitting holiday sales, privately owned liquor stores may choose to close to spend the holidays with their families, and local ordinances can further restrict access.

Full List of States Limiting Alcohol Sales

Alabama: All retail alcohol stores will be closed on Thanksgiving, according to the state’s ABC Board. But grocery and convenience stores are still permitted to sell pre-packaged beer and wine.
Connecticut: No off-premises alcohol sales of any kind, per the state’s Department of Consumer Protection.
Delaware: No off-premises alcohol retail sales, according to The Delaware Online Code.
District of Columbia State-owned stores are closed on Thanksgiving, but you can purchase alcohol from private stores.
Georgia: Package stores stay open on Thanksgiving, and alcohol sales are legal statewide, though a few counties ban them on Turkey Day. Call your local store to confirm hours.
Idaho: Sales of hard liquor are banned from state-run stores, according to the state’s legislature, but you can still buy beer and wine, and a city or county may still allow the sale of any alcohol by ordinance.
Kansas: Total ban on Thanksgiving, according to its Department of Revenue. Sales are banned on Thanksgiving for most retailers, such as retail liquor stores and CMB off-premises retailers.
Kentucky: There may be some private stores open, but there are some counties that prohibit alcohol sales on Thanksgiving, according to VinePair.
Louisiana: Some parishes ban alcohol sales on Thanksgiving. Call your local liquor store to confirm, per VinePair.
Maine: You can only buy alcohol as long as the retailer is no bigger than 5,000 square feet, according to the state legislature.
Massachusetts: It is forbidden to sell alcohol on Thanksgiving, according to the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, due to one of the state's last surviving blue laws.
Minnesota: Total ban on Thanksgiving, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Mississippi: Wine, beer, and spirits are banned due to the state's "blue laws," which prohibit the sale of alcohol on Thanksgiving Day.
Montana: Beer and wine are sold in supermarkets and convenience stores, but liquor sales are banned. A pending bill (House Bill 867) would allow liquor stores to open on Sundays and holidays if signed into law.
Nevada: You can buy alcohol here unless you are in a "dry" area. But these towns are very small areas.
New Hampshire: All NH Liquor & Wine Outlets are closed due to the state's policy of prohibiting sales on these specific days in government-run liquor stores.
New Jersey: New Jersey still has about 30 municipalities where alcohol sales are banned—a holdover from the temperance era.
North Carolina: You can buy beer and wine, but not liquor, on Thanksgiving, per the News & Observer.
North Dakota: Total ban on Thanksgiving, per KFYR.
Ohio: You can’t buy spirituous liquor (bottles over 42 proof) on Thanksgiving Day.
Oklahoma: Retail liquor stores are closed, but some prepackaged wines and beers are available at grocery and convenience stores, according to The Oklahoman.
Oregon: Some private, non-state-controlled stores might be open on Thanksgiving, according to the Liquor Control Commission, because state-controlled stores are typically closed on public holidays.
Pennsylvania: Liquor stores controlled by the state will be closed for the holidays, according to the Liquor Control Board. This aligns with the policy of state-owned stores, which close on public holidays—unlike some privately owned outlets that may stay open.
Rhode Island: Total ban on retail sales of alcohol on Thanksgiving Day due to "blue laws," per the Department of Business Regulation.
Tennessee: You can buy beer, but not wine, and all liquor stores will close.
Texas: You can’t buy liquor, but grocery stores can sell prepackaged wine and beer, per The Caller Times.
Utah: All state-controlled stores will be closed on Thanksgiving, according to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services. Consumers can buy beer with an ABV (alcohol by volume) of up to 5.0 percent at supermarkets.
Virginia: State-controlled stores close for the holidays. But some private stores may still sell alcohol.

States such as California and Illinois generally permit alcohol purchases on Thanksgiving, with most restrictions eliminated, although store closures and local rules may still apply, NBC Palm Springs reports.

What People Are Saying

Jon Hurst, president of the Massachusetts Retailers Association, said: "Blue laws go way, way back. Blue laws have been chipped away at for decades, but…Thanksgiving, Christmas never went any further."

Democratic Representative Roland Lemar of New Haven, chair of Connecticut’s General Laws Committee, said: "It's an old-school blue law that not that many states still abide by. I've heard from package store owners, folks who are like, 'Just give us the day off. We don't want to have to go in on Thanksgiving.'"

Jean Cronin, executive director of the Connecticut Package Stores Association, said: "These are small businesses with families, and they like to enjoy the holidays just like everyone else."

What Happens Next

The future of blue laws remains uncertain. Several attempts have been made to amend or repeal holiday alcohol sales bans, but legislative interest has generally been limited. For instance, a bill introduced in Massachusetts to allow Thanksgiving alcohol sales did not reach a vote in 2025, per The Boston Globe.

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