Supported by Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore Cocktail Festival is now into its fifth year and will once again spotlight the city’s cocktail culture on the world stage. The Festival presents an impressive gathering of over 100 of the world’s best bartending talents at the Festival Village; further augmented by a collaboration with The World’s 50 Best Bars organisation to introduce ’50 Minutes with 50 Best’, a series of exclusive cocktail masterclasses, for the first time. The awards for Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019 will take place in Singapore on 9 May 2019, the evening prior to the opening of SGCF.

What’s new at the Festival Village?

Open 10 to 12 May from 4 to 11pm, the Festival Village on Empress Lawn is the heart of the cocktail celebrations. Highlights include:

• Headlining bartenders from The World’s 50 Best Bars and Asia’s 50 Best Bars lists such as Kazuhisa Arai of Sober Company, Shanghaiand Lolita Goh from Junglebird, Malaysia, who will be serving signature cocktails at $12 nett.
• ’50 Minutes with 50 Best’ Masterclasses, presented by The World’s 50 Best Bars organisation. Sample signature cocktails from acclaimed bartenders, and learn the stories behind their bars and cocktails. Entry to these classes are limited to Festival Village ticket holders through contest giveaways on the SGCF Facebook and Instagram. A limited number of tickets can also be purchased through: https://sgcf2019.hungrygowhere.com/ from 5 April 2019.
• The “Barstylez International Bartender Championship”, where over 60 bartenders from more than 25 countries will compete in two categories — ‘Flairing’ (International) and ‘Cocktail’ (Asia).
• Bar and brand pop-ups under one roof offering signature tipples and brand-new concoctions.
• Brand experiences such as the Four Pillars Gin putting green; the “Hendrick’s Botanical Sanctuary” and a “Monkey Shoulder Boom Box Bar”.
• Debut brands at the Artisanal Spirits Tasting Room, including Amrut Distilleries and Tanglin Gin; and restaurant pop-ups on the Food Street like COMO Cuisine and Neon Pigeon.
• Live music and DJ acts

Festival Village tickets are priced from $35 for a one-day pass, inclusive of a welcome drink. For a complete list of ticket categories and prices, visit www.singaporecocktailfestival.com.

Cocktail experiences around the city

From 10 to 18 May 2019, expect a diverse round-up of cocktail experiences around the city across 45 participating venues. Highlights on the Festival calendar include:

• Thematic bar tours such as ‘Whisky Business’, an all-whisky cocktail showcase; and ‘New Kids on the Block’ featuring the latest cocktail hotspots. Bar tours are available for booking on www.singaporecocktailfestival.com from 5 April 2019.
• Exclusive cocktail deals redeemable via the Sluggr App across participating bars.
• Guest Bartender feats around town include ‘One Thousand and One Drunken Nights’, featuring Jay Natividad from The Spirits Library (Manila, Philippines) and Ian Libang from NoKal (Manila, Philippines) at Fat Prince on 16 and 17 May 2019.

SOURCE: Singapore Cocktail Festival