© Singapore Cocktail Festival

Welcome to the Singapore Cocktail Festival! For those who find it familiar, well it was previously known as Singapore Cocktail Week. Here to spice up your March, the inaugural event will be taking place from March 16 to 21. Dubbed Asia’s largest celebration of cocktails, the festival will be held at a historical venue along 99 Beach Road. Across six days, cocktail enthusiasts will be able to drown themselves in workshops and bar tours, as well as tour the centerpiece of the event— the Festival Village— from March 16 to 19.

Exciting Experiences

© Singapore Cocktail Festival

The Singapore Cocktail Festival is undoubtedly an international event, with bartenders and bars from all over the world getting in on the action. If you’re looking for a buzz, head over to the Asia Bar Battle Room, where bartending teams from Singapore and the region gather up their tools for battle. For something more close to home, vote for your favourite spirit in the Singapore Next Top Cocktail contest.

If you are interested in trying your hand at bartending, the Snow Leopard room will be featuring an engaging cocktail creation experience with a vertical garden. Experience ‘foraging’ for your own ingredients for a personalised cocktail!

For parents who are seeking a little repose, there will be a dedicated free-access play zone with games and a bouncy castle to keep the little ones busy. Open from 12 noon to 4pm on march 18 and 19, this is the perfect place to keep the kids distracted for a few hours during the weekend.

The Festival Village

Made up of nine different cocktail rooms, a food street and a music stage, the Festival Village is no doubt the center of attraction of the event. Entry to the festival village is complimentary, with all cocktails retailing at $12 nett. Some of the rooms include the Artisanal Spirits Room: taste unique and exotic handcrafted brews from our neighbours Vietnam and Thailand.

The festival is not only showcasing cocktails but also mixing in art as well. Art enthusiasts can pop by the “Room of Illusion” by Singapore’s underground gallery and publication Kult. A room filled with illustrations and works by Singapore’s budding artists, the cocktails in this room will be entirely inspired by the works exhibited.

Bites and Beats

Feeling hungry? Fret not. Apart from drinks, a Food Street is also available for those feeling a little peckish. With selections ranging from poke bowl masters Ninja Cut to restaurants such as IZY Dining and Bar, the festival is sure to keep your stomach satisfied. Prices will range from $10 to $15 nett.

Chill out with your cocktails to beats by resident DJs of CÉ LA VI, Brendon P, Ramesh K, Joshua P and YA5TH. Promising to bring an eclectic mix of music to the event, we’re sure that with the beats and the buzz it’ll be a beautiful night.

Bar Hopping

© Singapore Cocktail Festival

What is a cocktail festival without a few bar tours? Sign up for bar tours that will take you on a ride across Singapore’s top bars. Themes such as “Gin There, Done That” (an all Gin party) and “Suave The Day” (where the coctails are not the only reason to sign up), are up for the taking. Simply sign up at the Festival Village or pre-book tickets.

Rounding Off

“This year is a particularly exciting year for the local cocktail scene. With Singapore clinching top spots at the Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards in 2016, we are excited to share what our little red dot has to offer,” says Wai Mayleng, Festival Director and Co-founder. “Our aim is to position Singapore as a leading cocktail city, and Singapore Cocktail Festival offers the perfect opportunity to showcase the level of craft and innovation of the bartending community here,” she adds.

The opening hours for the Festival Village from March 16 to 19 are as follows:

4 to 10pm on Thursday and Fridays

12noon to 10pm on Saturday and Sunday

For tickets and tour schedules, do visit singaporecocktailfestival.com for more information. Tickets are priced at $98 nett for the tours.