Drinking outdoors (let alone at a public park) is just not a thing outside Europe.
Also, drinking in public is not allowed in much of Europe. Don’t go there and assume it is.
There are also many US locations and parks where alcohol is allowed.
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/criminal-law/c...
Edit: Wikipedia page on drinking in public: "In some countries, such as Norway,[1] Poland,[2] India and Sri Lanka[3][non-tertiary source needed], some states in the United States,[4] as well as Muslim-majority countries where alcohol is legal, public drinking is almost universally condemned or outlawed, while in other countries, such as Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Germany,[5][6] the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Japan, Finland, and China, public drinking is socially acceptable."
I live and have traveled a lot around Europe, and have never ran into that rule, but have almost always seen people drinking alcohol in public parks. From what I could find online it's only Norway, Ireland, and perhaps Poland, plus a few places in cities in other countries (Vienna, Milan, Barcelona, Riga...) which is far from "much of Europe".
Boozy picnics at the beaches, wine in plastic cups at the parks, etc. And fully sanctioned alcohol at the dozens of neighborhood street fests held throughout the year.
And it’s also a thing in suburbia, where backyard coolers full of beer are common at weekend gatherings.
Take a trip to New Orleans for the extreme end of it, but we have drive-through Daiquiri shops all over and at least half of the people I grew up with have at least one DUI and I've never thought twice about being outside with a drink in my hand, as rarely as I do drink (I do refuse to drink and drive and am constantly lecturing others about it out here)
Looked online and found maps suggesting eastern Europe has more laws relating to it, although many of them in practice don't apply
Which "eastern parts"? I've never seen that rule here, but have seen people drinking in public. Do you know that or are you just asking AI to confirm your biases?
Public drinking is generally illegal in Poland ('police take a strict approach'), Romania, Lithuania, Slovakia (apparently not enforced in Slovakia).
I would be more concerned about lack of accessible public spaces.
I live in the Midwest US. The city government sponsors floating (as in they move around, not that they're in water) beer gardens across public parks in the summer, and our local Lutheran and Catholic churches will run outdoor beer gardens and barbecues as a way to enjoy the nice weather and bring in a little money. The various state fairs also sell beer, and a local outdoor, public music festival goes through a staggering amount of alcohol consumed in public.
People are out in public, often with the authorities around, drinking beer and mixed drinks out of clear plastic cups (usually) and nobody cares. It's just a summer thing.
Maybe openly but I don't know of a place where a cop will stop you and ask what's in your red cup.
Parent commenter is a narc.
* Drinking in public is legal
* Drinking in public is illegal (strictly enforced)
* Drinking in public is illegal (give cops discretion to arrest intoxicated troublemakers who are hollering, pestering people, or otherwise engaging in mild antisocial behavior)
Barton Springs in Austin is always brimming with people and Shiner Bock makes a frequent appearance.
Dolores Park in SF never has a dull moment and you can buy shrooms or edibles from vendors walking around.
Golden Gate Park in SF is massive and there are tons of clusters of people socializing and drinking throughout the park (especially near the Conservatory of Flowers!)
Central Park in NY in many ways mirrors Golden Gate Park only its way busier. Good luck finding a spot near the south side of the park on a sunny day. You might spot a mimosa or two, three…
You are talking about 3 of the trendiest places in the United States.
They are anomalies, not the norm.