Updated April 11, 2012
Every year numerous competitions, seminars, conferences and expos take place that are of interest to cocktail enthusiasts, distilled spirit connoisseurs, bartenders and hospitality professionals, and any one interested in fine drinking. This calender is an attempt to organize many of those events, along with "cocktail holidays" so that you can see what's going on in the drinking world. If you know of an event or competition that is not listed, please email me the information.
One note: Whisky Live is an international celebration of whiskey and has shows worldwide throughout the year. Check their website for this year's dates.
January:
- Bloody Mary Day
January 1
Could one of the reasons Bloody Mary Day is on the first day of the year be due to the number of New Year's hangovers? Recipe
- Hot Toddy Day
January 11
One of my favorites, the Hot Toddy is one of the many classic cocktails with its very own holiday. Recipe or Hot Toddy Collection
- Hot Buttered Rum Day
January 17
Cold winter days call for a hot cocktail and today is a great excuse to imbibe on one of the favorites. Recipe
- San Antonio Cocktail Conference
Last weekend January - 26-29, 2012
San Antonio, Texas
The first San Antonio Cocktail Conference is in 2012. It is a 4-day event filled with seminars, tastings, soirees, and classes for the home and professional bartender. Proceeds for the event go to HeartGift, a charity focused on giving heart surgery to children in developing countries
- National Irish Coffee Week
4th week of January
National Irish Coffee Day falls on January 25. Recipe
February:
- Tales of the Cocktail on Tour Vancouver 2012
February 12-14, 2012
Vancouver, British Columbia
A sort of mini Tales of the Cocktail, this 3-day event has all of the seminars, tastings, and parties one will find in July in New Orleans.
- Arizona Cocktail Week
February 17-25, 2012
Scottsdale, Arizona
A 7-day celebration of the cocktail in the warm Arizona sun. Check out their website for details.
- Mardi Gras Day
New Orleans, Louisiana
Drinks for the Occasion: Traditional New Orleans cocktails, of course
- National Margarita Day
February 22
Celebrate this fun "holiday" with your favorite Margarita.
- National Kahlua Day
February 27
One of our favorite liqueurs and an essential for the bar has it's own day.
March:
- National Absinthe Day
March 5
Read about absinthe and find absinthe cocktails...
- St. Patrick's Day
March 17
Grab your green cocktails, and if you must, green beer, this is a party that you don't want to miss and one of the biggest drinking holidays of the year. Guide to Celebrating St. Patrick's Day
- Whisky Fest Chicago
March 23, 2012
Chicago, Illinois
All things whiskey.
- Whiskies of the World
March 31, 2012
San Francisco, California
All things whiskey.
