How a Big Idea (and a Few Margaritas-in-a-Bag) Helped Launch the Lake Norman Social District

If you’ve spent any time wandering through Old Town Cornelius on a sunny weekend — beer in hand, strolling from vendor to vendor, music drifting through the air — you’ve experienced something pretty special: the Lake Norman Social District.

And here’s a fun piece of local history: OTPH helped start it.

Long before social districts became a buzzword, long before folks around here knew what those blue boundary signs meant, we teamed up with our friends at Thigs to test the waters of something brand new for our area.

Where It All Started

The idea was simple: Let people walk, mingle, shop, laugh, listen to music, and enjoy a drink — without needing to stay confined inside one building.

Community shouldn’t have walls. And OTPH has always believed people come together best when they can roam a little.

With Thigs pouring margaritas-in-a-bag and jello shots, and OTPH slinging craft beer and hosting live music, the foundation was laid. All we needed was an event big enough to prove that this idea had legs.

Luckily, we had just the thing.

Enter: St. Patrick's Day

If you’ve ever been to an OTPH St. Paddy’s blowout, you know it’s the real deal.

Green everywhere. Vendors lining the sidewalks. Kids painting shamrocks on their cheeks. Jigs breaking out on the patio. The kind of joyful chaos that can only happen in a tight-knit town.

Those early St. Patrick’s Day block parties became proof of concept — that a social district could work, and work beautifully.

And work it did.

From there came Cinco de Mayo, Pumpkin Beer Tastings, Halloween Bashes, Christmas Markets, and dozens of day-long events filled with music, makers, families, and that signature OTPH energy.

Making Local History

When the Lake Norman Social District officially launched, it wasn’t just a win for OTPH or Thigs — it was a win for the entire town.

It became the VERY FIRST social district in all of Mecklenburg County. A trailblazer.

A little quirky, a little experimental, and entirely “Old Town Cornelius.”

Now, social districts are popping up across the region, and people are getting more familiar with how they work — but we’ll always remember those early days, before the signs went up, before the ordinances were finalized, when it felt like we were all trying something exciting and brand new.

Looking Ahead

The Lake Norman Social District isn’t just sticking around — it’s growing. More events, more energy, more chances for people to gather, sip, stroll, and celebrate the place we call home.

And we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Because whether it’s a margarita-in-a-bag, a craft beer from the OTPH taps, or a hot chocolate on a winter walk… one thing has never changed:

Community has always tasted better when we enjoy it together.