The countdown begins for craft cocktail and spirits enthusiasts: Arizona Cocktail Weekend kicks off a week from today.
The Southwest’s premier booze celebration runs from February 27 to March 2 this year. Its three signature events are returning: Cocktail Carnival, Top Bars Invitational and Last Slinger Standing competition (all ticketed; 21 and older). Additional events, special deals and educational programming will be offered at more than 80 participating Arizona bars. See the full schedule of events and purchase tickets at arizonacocktailweekend.com.
We sat down with AZCW founder and producer Ross Simon (Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour, Little Rituals) ahead of the festivities to discuss Cocktail Weekend’s origins, must-see events and hydration strategies.
How should attendees plan their weekend?
One, you never have to finish a drink. Water is your best friend, and pacing yourself is your best friend, so you can experience as much as you possibly can. At the end of the day, it’s about drinking better and not drinking more. Go to the educations, go to the experiences. Be strategic, plan out. There are a lot of RSVP events. Don’t just RSVP for the sake of doing it. Really strategically plan out your day. Go to one to three to four events, but don’t cram in too much, because you won’t be enjoying, you won’t be present.
How did Arizona Cocktail Weekend start?
We had to come up with a way of educating the consumers, elevating our bartenders and putting a spotlight on Phoenix. That’s when we started over in Scottsdale in the [Hotel] Valley Ho, which was a great venue for a while. But then about seven years ago, maybe eight years ago, we shifted the entire thing Downtown to make it more walkable. Phoenix was just a great host city. It made sense after all the bars were open. It’s kind of been a growing thing.
What does the Top Bars Invitational entail?
We fly in bars from Tokyo, Mexico City, London. We’ve got them coming from all over [the world] as well as all of the major cities all over the U.S., and they’re going to descend upon Warehouse 215 and basically showcase their best cocktails under one roof. Attendees can try bars from all over the world without even getting out the passport.
How does the Last Slinger Standing competition work?
It’s normally a cocktail competition. There’s great finesse, there’s lots of preparation, there’s lots of weeks of research. This competition is very fast-paced, it’s action-packed, it’s bracket-style. And basically, through the heats, there’s only two people per round. The winner goes on, and there’s no points. The drink has to just be the best drink that they (the bartenders) can think of. They get the secret ingredients, they get a whole pantry, they get to make a drink in a time frame, and the best drink moves on. So, it’s using the bartender’s skill to think on their feet. It’s using their creativity to think about what they can do using the ingredients and the secret ingredients. It’s just down to the experience of the bartender to know how to balance a drink that the three judges will enjoy.
Which events sell out first?
Well, our signature events like the carnival used to be held at the Walter Where?House. But since we partnered up with the Arizona Center, it’s a strong outdoor kind of cocktail safari. So, that sells out really well. And then Top Bars is just such a signature experience, a one-of-a-kind thing that they sell really well.
