Kicking off the year with real momentum, SOBR is stepping into 2026 with a calendar full of exciting firsts. Leading the charge, the team is heading north to Inverness at the end of this month, where SOBR will host an alcohol-free cocktail masterclass and live podcast at the inaugural Sober-Ness festival — a vibrant new celebration of modern sobriety.
Founder Kate Kenyon, the entrepreneur behind Aberdeen’s SOBR Bar, Scotland’s first alcohol-free bar and events space, has been invited to take part in the landmark event, marking an energising start to a year of bold ideas, collaborations and community-led moments for SOBR.
Held at Wasps Inverness Creative Academy on Saturday the 31 January, the Sober-Ness Festival is an event facilitated by the Highland Well-Ness Collectiveand co-designed and delivered by community project, the Highland Sober Collective. It aims to support recovering alcoholics, those looking to cut down on their drinking and the “sober curious”; individuals questioning alcohol, and examining the part it plays in social settings and daily life.
Funded by HTSI and Highland Alcohol & Drugs Partnership (Highland ADP) through the Local Improvement Fund, Sober-Ness will offer both daytime and evening events. A ceilidh, silent disco, DJ session and creative workshops are all part of the mix, along with Kate’s interactive Cocktail Masterclass which will showcase zero spirits such as Talonmore, Crossip, ANON, and Wild Eve. These brands, growing in popularity, are used to create many of the delicious drinks on the current SOBR menu.
Following a short presentation from Kate on why she launched SOBR, which has been open in Aberdeen’s Thistle Street since October, masterclass participants will be able to sample and make some of SOBR’s signature zero cocktails.
The bar also offers alcohol free shots, zero wines, beers, lagers and spirits, along with “functional” drinks, utilising ingredients such as lion’s mane and Ashwagandha. With health giving properties, these drinks pep you up or calm you down.
Kate will finish her visit to Sober-Ness by taking part in a live podcast recording with Headspace Highland.
The launch of SOBR, and the huge publicity it has generated, has highlighted Kate’s opinion that Scotland needs more fully inclusive, safe, alcohol free spaces – and that these spaces can be successful businesses. SOBR Bar joins other sober venues found in London, and throughout the world.
Now a thriving events space as well as a bar, SOBR is in the midst of collaborating with many local artisan food businesses throughout Aberdeen, offering rotating snack choices. It has also hosted events such as Christmas Wreath Making, and monthly “Talks at the Bar” series, with guest speakers, will commence later in January, with guest speakers such as Jade Auld of Scottish and Sober, Mikey Banks and Sarah Rochester.
Commenting on Sober-Ness, Kate said: “It is my absolute pleasure to take part in Sober-Ness, a fantastic initiative offering support and guidance to those wishing to live life well, without alcohol as a crutch. Events like this will help make the shift in society we are seeking.”
“I am confident that the masterclass participants will very much enjoy sampling the cocktails on offer, along with finding the story of SOBR, and my own journey, an engaging and informative experience. A little imagination, coupled with the ever -growing range of zero spirits, sees us able to create the most incredible drinks that taste delicious and are visually appealing. You really won’t miss the alcohol!”
Laura Johnston-Scott, the founder of the Highland Wellness Collective, said: “Sober-Ness brings together such an inspiring group of partners from across the Highlands. We are genuinely excited to have SOBR and Kate woven into the heart of it. Between her guest role on the live podcast recording with Headspace Highland and the hands-on masterclass, Kate’s contribution really captures the spirit of what we’re building: creative, inclusive spaces where people can connect, explore sober-curiosity, and feel part of something bigger.”
“For many in our community, having access to events like these, alongside the ceilidh, DJ workshops, and our other collaborators, makes celebration and sober living feel accessible again. It’s a day shaped by partnership, curiosity and care, and we couldn’t be happier to have SOBR involved”, Laura continued.
Focused on improving mental health and well-being with person-centred therapeutic activities and creative outlets, Highland Wellness Collective has the goal of developing safe resilience and self discovery, through collaboration, connection, and community.
Providing safe and empathetic spaces where individuals can freely express themselves without judgement, the Collective aims to ensure that it services and projects are accessible to all, regardless of background or circumstance. It helps clients who are struggling with addiction, anxiety, feelings of isolation and other mental health and health issues. Leading therapist and Founder, Laura Johnston-Scott, works closely with Therapist, Kate Thompson.
As SOBR looks ahead to the year, the focus remains firmly on connection, creativity and choice. From collaborations and community-led events to workshops, pop-ups and partnerships across Scotland, SOBR continues to carve out welcoming spaces where alcohol is not the default and everyone belongs. With more announcements on the horizon, this is shaping up to be a defining year for SOBR and for the growing movement towards more mindful, inclusive ways to socialise.
For further details on Sober-Ness, please visit: https://www.highlandwellnesscollective.co.uk/events
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Highland Wellness Collective: www.highlandwellnesscollective.co.uk
SOBR: www.sobrbar.co.uk
