Cheers To The US Debut Of The UK's Cocktails In The City Festival
Thirsty for a taste of Los Angeles' thriving bar scene? Pull up a stool at the first Cocktails in the City tasting event in the U.S. for one night only on September 23. First established in the UK, the event is expanding to L.A. to feature 30 of the city's leading bars under one roof at The Majestic Downtown. There, mixologists will pour specialty drinks created exclusively for the event, at interactive pop-up bars, plus a craft spirits discovery room, ticketed dinners, food vendors, and a competition for best drink.
Under the leadership of CEO Steve Kelly — who launched the award-winning West Hollywood cocktail bar Now Boarding in 2013 — Cocktails in the City celebrates the unique bar culture of Los Angeles. Guests can sample the city's leading cocktail bars and craft liquors, and watch live demonstrations. Each bar will be paired up with a liquor brand to create a specialty drink available exclusively at the L.A. Cocktails in the City event. Bars featured during the event include many of the best in the west, including Sassafras, Birds & Bees, Harvard & Stone, Hotel Figueroa, Otium, Lono, The Wallace, The Peppermint Club, Good Times at Davey Wayne's, Redbird LA, Normandie Club, Walker Inn, Melrose Umbrella Company, No Vacancy, Wolf and Crane, and Big Bar.
"Los Angeles has a dynamic cocktail and bar scene, with so many incredible bartenders making some of the most creative concoctions all across town," says Kelly. "This city often gets overlooked when we think about the best bar cities across the world, but that is far from the reality, which is why we selected L.A. to launch Cocktails in the City when we decided to bring the event to the U.S. We wanted to give the City of Angels a chance to experience it all in one place and discover the incredible talent living right under our noses."
Each bar will be paired with a liquor brand to design a specialty cocktail exclusive to Cocktails in the City. Adding to the fun, each bar will also create an interactive, themed pop-up bar for an immersive experience. Otium will team with Grey Goose Vodka to a host a hidden bar transporting guests back to a glamorous, bygone age; if you've ever wanted to spend midnight in Paris, Big Bar and Hennessy might just be your first class ticket; Normandie Club and Copper and Kings Brandy will be creating a multi-sensory experience inspired by the Beatles' White Album; The Peppermint Club and Old Forester will co-host an exclusive Prohibition-era cabaret lounge; and Wolf and Crane will mix tradition with Toki Whisky for a Japanese drinking experience.
To give the night a competitive spirit, a panel of judges will award one bar and brand the Best Signature Cocktail award. Guests can make their voices heard by voting for the Best Activation award. The evening will also feature themed photo booths, where guests can snap Instagram-worthy selfies in iconic cocktail bar scenes from Hollywood movies, namely Flanagan's bar from Cocktail, or Jack Rabbit Slim's from Pulp Fiction. To soak up the booze, food will be sold from vendors including Kye's, Trejo's Tacos, and Bronzed Aussie Pie Company. Complimentary sodas and water will be courtesy of Seasons Soda and Topo Chico. Premium tickets are on sale for both the Pre-Dinner and After-Dinner Cocktail Party.
Tickets for Cocktail in the City are $25 per person and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Each ticket includes one cocktail from any participating bar, an event guide, and a "swag bag" to collect complimentary merchandise at the event. Additional cocktail tokens are $10 each. Proceeds benefit My Friend's Place, which helps homeless youth build self- sufficient lives.