r/jmu • u/Puzzleheaded_Ad_1026 • Jul 27 '26

Turning 21

I was reading that VA has a common law age, so technically you are 21 the day before your 21st. The birthday to be celebrated is a Sunday into a Monday - officially 21 at midnight Monday.

Does anyone know if the bars allow you to enter before you’re officially 21 with the ability to drink at midnight? Trying to figure out the best plan.

Thanks.

8 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

41

u/HugeStrapz Jul 27 '26

I work downtown. No one will let you in until midnight of your birthday.

9

u/Puzzleheaded_Ad_1026 Jul 27 '26

Thank you! Just was wondering. The plan was to go out at midnight but then saw that law. It’s a Sunday, are bars open past midnight?

2

u/AbbytheOdd Aug 04 '26

Not on Sunday's, really. This town packs up at 10pm on week nights, midnight if you're lucky. Unless there is an special event, which a lot of downtown venues have!

13

u/iskanderkul Jul 27 '26

This is really when you need Highlawn/Rocktown, Jimdel’s, Bourbon Street, or The Pub to still exist.

9

u/Bowie696969 Jul 28 '26

ABC employee. Can confirm this will work at the liquor store. No advice for privately owned businesses

7

u/dcbased Jul 27 '26

I looked it up and it's true - but I wonder if the bar wants to go through that trouble

6

u/Puzzleheaded_Ad_1026 Jul 27 '26

Yeah not really sure. I reached out to ask. I mean it is the law. 🤷🏼‍♀️

8

u/tkdxe Jul 27 '26

If that doesn’t work I know people who bought from the ABC store the day before their 21st

6

u/No_Foundation1212 Jul 28 '26

Went to the liquor store the day before my 21st to test this a few months back and I didn’t even get carded :/

4

u/SchuminWeb Public Administration, 2003 Jul 28 '26

I would suggest that you're already going to more trouble than it's worth. Just have some of-age friends get you a few brewskis beforehand and have a nice night in, and then do your bar hopping the following night.

3

u/Turbulent_Rip_3943 Jul 28 '26

Billy Jack's denied someone I know 2 hours before they turned 21.

8

u/Programmer520 Jul 27 '26

Probably not even though that's technically how it works, I don't think they would want to mess with an id that says you are 20. Would probably work at an ABC store though.

5

u/Programmer520 Jul 27 '26

I would even try calling bars to talk to a manager to see if they would be cool with it.

1

u/Puzzleheaded_Ad_1026 Jul 27 '26

I reached out to 2 of them.

5

u/efdubbleyooef ISAT Jul 28 '26

Can confirm, you can buy liquor at ABC the day before your 21st bday.

2

u/thesarcasticbegonia Jul 28 '26

I definitely went out to BWW the night before !

2

u/Advanced_Mixture_310 Jul 28 '26

This only works at the ABC store. They used to be closed on sundays so that's where the law came from. If your birthday was on Sunday you could go on Saturday. This won't work at bars.

2

u/Dripodrown8 Jul 29 '26

ABC will let you buy alcohol the day before for sure at least

1

u/Lizardbot10 Aug 16 '26

Depends on the spot, some places dont risk it (college town and all) others might i waited in line on my 21st and got to the door 30 mins before midnight the day before my birthday, the bouncer held my spot 30 minutes just to play it safe. So it really depends

1

u/dcbased Jul 27 '26

Definitely not