Sorry night owls, Denver has rejected the idea of keeping bars open until 4 a.m.

Night owls, put down the glow sticks. Denver City Council on Monday (Aug. 3) voted down a proposal that would have let certain nightclubs and venues keep the party going until 4 a.m., meaning 2 a.m. remains the witching hour for the city’s nightlife.

The extended hours were part of a broader overhaul from the city’s Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection — the biggest shake-up to Denver’s nightlife licensing since the 1980s. The twist: even under the proposal, last call for alcohol would have stayed at 2 a.m. under state law, so the extra two hours were really just for dancing, vibes and presumably staring at your phone waiting for a surge-priced Uber. Supporters argued a staggered closing could actually reduce the chaos — fights, rideshare bottlenecks, general 2 a.m. sidewalk pandemonium — that comes with dumping every bar patron onto the street at the same time.

The vote came weeks after a deadly shooting at Ultra Lounge East in southeast Denver left one person dead and eight injured, prompting the council to delay the decision and hold a moment of silence. The club has since permanently closed after the city suspended its licenses. Council members said the timing made the extended-hours question impossible to ignore.

The good news for the after-hours crowd: the idea isn’t totally dead. City licensing director Molly Duplechian said the department plans to explore a pilot program in certain parts of the city, partnering with local police and tracking safety data before any future proposal. The council did approve the rest of the ordinance, which adds new safety requirements, mandates background checks for club owners and managers, and streamlines licensing into three categories.

So for now, Denver’s dance floors will still go dark at 2. But somewhere, a city bureaucrat is quietly drawing up a pilot program map, and LoDo’s bartenders are watching closely.