A list of major bar events and cocktail festivals in Asia and beyond. By Holly Graham. 

This list was originally compiled – albeit optimistically – on January 12, 2020. Little did we know that COVID-19 was about to grip the planet, cancelling pretty much everything. Every month, we scratched events off the list or had to add “postponed” next to each festival and conference.

However, the bar industry is innovative and unstoppable, so here’s a few events that are going forward, whether digital or scaled down.

Tales of the Cocktail
Tales of the Cocktail has just announced it will be going digital this year, with the Spirited Awards closing the festival online on Thursday, September 24. The digital festival will host seminars and live question and answer sessions on how to navigate the new normal as well as panels on subjects such as hospitality, health, innovation and social issues as well as brand experiences, wellness classes, virtual booths and entertainment. Speakers from Asia include Indra Kantono of Jigger & Pony (Singapore), hosting a panel on business recovery and new opportunities. Mentorship Hours will also be available under the Beyond the Bar programming during which a global group of industry leaders will donate 15 minute virtual meetings to network and share ideas with interested parties.

Nominations for the Dame Hall of Fame are also now open from now until August 19, and criteria and the nomination form can be found here. The awards recognise one American Inductee, one International Inductee, and one Pioneer Award Winner.
The digital platform during Tales of the Cocktail® 2020 will be live and accessible across all time zones at talesofthecocktail.org

When: September 21-24

London Cocktail Week
The annual festival will now be running for the whole month of October, with a focus on supporting the London bar industry in its recovery from the pandemic. For more information, visit drinkup.london/cocktail-week
When: October

Bar Convent Berlin (digital)
This year’s Bar Convent Berlin (BCB) will feature virtual product presentations and tastings, in which BCB will be sending some tasting packs to people around world to sample online together, as well presentations and seminars and a “matchmaking platform”, which connects exhibitors and visitors according to their interests and allow them to host online meetings. For more information, visit barconvent.com
When: October 12-18

Singapore Cocktail Festival
Singapore Cocktail Festival was originally due to be held in May, but pushed to October 23-30. More announcements are expected to come soon, so stay tuned. For more information, visit singaporecocktailfestival.com

World’s 50 Best Bars 
In the same vein as Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020’s digital ceremony, World’s 50 Best Bars will also be announced online. Details of where to watch will be available soon.
When: Date TBC

DRiNK Awards; DRiNK Fest; DRiNK Street China (Shanghai)
Formerly titled DMBA, the 5th edition of our very renowned bar industry awards ceremony will receive a fresh bolt of energy through a rebranding as the DRiNK Awards. As one of the largest trade celebrations in the world, past editions of DRiNK Awards have hosted over 700 attendees and 14 guest bars in collaboration with 35 brand partners; live streamed to 13.9 million viewers and covered by 150 media outlets.

This year’s event will take place on November 23 at the Jing An Shangri-La, West Shanghai, alongside two new accompanying events – DRiNK Street and DRiNK Fest. Stay tuned for more info on what to expect and click here to read more information on our new brands.
When:
DRiNK Fest China: November 12-22
DRiNK Street:  November 21-22
DRiNK Awards: November 23