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Package stores may not sell alcohol on Thanksgiving: what Massachusetts law lets open Nov. 26

General retail stores need a local holiday permit approved by the state labor department to open, while small food stores, bakeries, gas stations, medicine sales and farm wineries and breweries are allowed under the law. Fall River city offices close Thursday and Friday.

By the SC360 Community Desk | Published Nov. 12, 2026 | Last verified Nov. 12, 2026, 3:15 a.m. ET

SOUTH COAST Package stores may not sell alcohol on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, under Massachusetts liquor law, so package store wine or beer for the holiday has to be bought by Wednesday.

The rule covers every store licensed under Section 15 of Chapter 138 to sell alcohol to take home. Section 33 of that chapter says no such licensee "shall sell or deliver any alcoholic beverages" on Thanksgiving Day, on Christmas Day or before noon on Memorial Day.

Thanksgiving Day is one of the state's legal holidays under Section 7 of Chapter 4. Section 13 of Chapter 136 applies the state's Sunday business rules to every legal holiday except a list of days that includes New Year's Day, Juneteenth and Veterans Day after 1 p.m., and Section 16 lets retail stores open on Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July Fourth and Labor Day. Thanksgiving is on neither list, so the Sunday rules decide which doors can open on the holiday.

Why general retail stores need a permit

The exemption in clause 50 of Section 6 of Chapter 136 that lets stores open on Sundays "shall not apply to any legal holiday," the law says. A shop that opens on Thanksgiving with no other exception or permit falls under Section 5, which sets a fine of $20 to $100 for a first offense and $50 to $200 for each one after that, with each sale counted as a separate offense.

The law does provide for holiday permits: under Section 15 of Chapter 136, the local officials who issue Sunday work permits under Section 7, such as a city or town police chief, may grant a permit for a legal holiday for work that, in Section 7's words, "could not be performed on any other day without serious suffering, loss, damage or public inconvenience." For general retail stores, Section 15 says no such permit may be granted without the approval of the state labor department, which approves them "only on a uniform basis statewide." A permit covers no more than one day, the application has to be made within 60 days before the day it covers, the permit is issued or denied within 15 days, and the local fee may not be more than $10.

What can open without a permit

The same list of exceptions in Section 6 that governs Sundays applies on the holiday. It covers food stores with no more than three people working at any one time on Sundays and throughout the week, counting the owner, along with bakeries, pet stores, gas stations and auto service shops, and takeout from restaurants licensed to serve on Sundays.

The list also allows the sale of fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, eggs, baby food, soft drinks, candy and tobacco, and the sale of drugs, medicines and personal health and sanitary supplies.

Farm wineries, breweries and distilleries are an exception for alcohol to take home, because Section 33 lets licensed farmer-wineries, farmer-breweries and farmer-distilleries sell bottles to customers for use off their premises on Sundays and legal holidays, Thanksgiving included.

Bars and restaurants follow a separate rule: Section 14 of Chapter 136 lets businesses licensed under the liquor law operate on any legal holiday as that law allows, and the Section 33 limits on bars and restaurants licensed under Section 12 fall on Sundays and on the mornings of Christmas and Memorial Day, with none set for Thanksgiving.

City offices and buses

Public offices close on legal holidays under Section 12 of Chapter 136. Fall River's Government Center is closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, which the city lists as the day after Thanksgiving, observed, on its 2026 holiday schedule.

The Southeastern Regional Transit Authority runs no fixed-route bus service on Thanksgiving Day and offers holiday demand response service instead, the agency says, and it will do the same on Christmas Day.

When the limits lift

The state's list of legal holidays names Thanksgiving Day itself and not the day after, so the holiday limits on stores and package stores do not apply on Friday, Nov. 27. The same limits return on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25, when package stores again may not sell alcohol.

Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.

Notes

Every rule in this explainer comes from the Massachusetts General Laws as the Legislature posts them (Chapter 4, Section 7; Chapter 136, Sections 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16; Chapter 138, Sections 19B, 19C, 19E and 33), quoted word for word where quoted. The office closings come from Fall River's 2026 holiday schedule and the bus service from SRTA's holiday service page. We read them on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and Thursday, Nov. 12, and checked each date and weekday against a calendar. The story states what the law says and takes no side on it. Not heard: no one was asked; nothing here rests on anyone's view.

Corrections

No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.

Sources (15)

  1. General Laws, Chapter 138, Section 33: Sales and delivery of alcoholic beverages on election days, Sundays and legal holidaysNo Section 15 licensee shall sell or deliver alcoholic beverages on the last Monday in May before noon, Thanksgiving day or Christmas day; Section 19B, 19C and 19E licensees may sell bottles for off-premises consumption on Sundays and legal holidays; Section 12 limits on Sundays 1 to 10 a.m. and on Christmas and the last Monday in May 1 a.m. to noon. Read Nov. 11 and 12, 2026.
  2. General Laws, Chapter 138, Section 19B: Farmer-winery licensesSection title naming the license type. Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  3. General Laws, Chapter 138, Section 19C: Farmer-brewery licensesSection title naming the license type. Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  4. General Laws, Chapter 138, Section 19E: Farmer-distillery licensesSection title naming the license type. Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  5. General Laws, Chapter 4, Section 7, clause Eighteenth: Definitions of statutory terms, legal holidayLegal holidays include Thanksgiving Day. Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  6. General Laws, Chapter 136, Section 13: Legal holidays; application of Secs. 5 to 11Sections 5 to 11 apply to all legal holidays except the listed days; Thanksgiving is not excepted. Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  7. General Laws, Chapter 136, Section 6: Business, trade, labor or work on Sunday; limitation of operation of Sec. 5Clauses 2, 17, 22, 24, 25, 27 and 30; clause 50 retail exemption does not apply to any legal holiday. Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  8. General Laws, Chapter 136, Section 5: Business, trade, labor or work on Sunday; conducting business on Sunday; penaltyFine of $20 to $100 for a first offense, $50 to $200 for each later offense, each sale a separate offense. Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  9. General Laws, Chapter 136, Section 7: Permit for performance of necessary work or labor on Sunday; feesPolice chief or other designated officials may permit necessary Sunday work that could not be performed on any other day without serious suffering, loss, damage or public inconvenience. Read Nov. 11 and 12, 2026.
  10. General Laws, Chapter 136, Section 15: Legal holidays; permit for performance of necessary work or labor; feesSection 7 officials may grant for a legal holiday any permit Section 7 allows; clause 50 store permits need department of labor approval, only on a uniform basis statewide; one day; apply within 60 days before; issued or denied within 15 days; fee no more than $10. Read Nov. 12, 2026.
  11. General Laws, Chapter 136, Section 14: Legal holidays; sporting events; laundry; transport of goods; tourist trade; licensing certain events; feesAny business licensed under Chapter 138 may be conducted in accordance with that chapter on any legal holiday. Read Nov. 12, 2026.
  12. General Laws, Chapter 136, Section 16: Retail stores and shops; Sunday and holiday operationRetail stores may open on Sundays and on Memorial Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, July Fourth and Labor Day; Thanksgiving is not listed. Read Nov. 12, 2026.
  13. General Laws, Chapter 136, Section 12: Legal holidays; public offices; closingPublic offices closed on all legal holidays except March 17, May 20 and June 17. Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  14. City of Fall River: 2026 Holiday ScheduleGovernment Center closed Thursday, Nov. 26, Thanksgiving, and Friday, Nov. 27, day after Thanksgiving (observed). Read Nov. 11, 2026.
  15. SRTA: Holiday ServiceHoliday demand response service and no fixed route service on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 26) and Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25). Read Nov. 11, 2026.

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