Cocktail lovers in Glasgow are in for a treat this summer as the Glasgow Cocktail Festival makes its much-anticipated debut. The 10-day event, sponsored by global drinks leader Diageo, will run from Friday 29th August, showcasing the very best of the city’s mixology scene.
A Glasgow Cocktail Festival wristband will open doors to exclusive discounts on premium cocktails across more than 50 of Glasgow’s top bars and restaurants, with specially curated festival serves priced from just £5.
Participating venues include Bar Soba, Dishoom, The Social, Brel, The Alchemist, El Jefe’s, Flight Club, Kitty O’Shea’s, Kong, Maggie’s Rock n Rodeo, Moskito, Revolución de Cuba, The Parlour, Wunderbar and many more.
The festival will launch in style with an official party at The Social on 29th August, where Smirnoff Miami Peach will take centre stage. Starting at 7pm, the wristband-holder-only event will feature live music, a DJ set, exclusive cocktails, and “a host of surprises”. Entry is first-come, first-served, with capacity expected to fill quickly.
One of the headline flavours of the festival will be Guinness cocktails, specially created for the occasion. Drinks such as Blackbeard’s Kiss at Malo – described as a dark, silky blend of coconut, roasted malt and cola – and the Evil Colada at Revolución de Cuba will only be available during the 10-day celebration.
Festival Director Alice Christison said: “We’re showcasing a side of Guinness that Glasgow has never tasted before.
“The bars are creating something bold, indulgent, and utterly unique – putting a definitive Glasgow twist on an iconic stout. These cocktails are a collection of limited-edition creations you truly cannot get anywhere else.”
With more than 5,000 wristbands already sold, the festival is on track to be the city’s biggest cocktail event to date. Created by M-AD Agency and launched in partnership with Smirnoff, the event will also highlight low- and no-alcohol options, reinforcing a strong focus on responsible drinking.
Kyle Martin, Key Account Manager at Diageo, commented: “We are bringing to Glasgow Cocktail Festival the full power of our deep range of premium spirits brands, as well as the vitally important alcohol-free offerings delivering all the premium taste with none of the alcohol.
“Helping promote and really drive home the Drink Aware message is at the core of this event so we are supporting this event and our range of superb venues across the city in showing mocktails are far from an afterthought or ticking a box – they’re a key element of every menu, just like the zero per cent brands we created for that very reason.”
Discounted festival cocktails will range between £5 and £7 each – up to 50 per cent off normal prices. Wristbands are priced from £7.95 (+ booking fee) and are valid across all participating venues for the entire 10-day programme. They can be collected in person from Thursday 28th August at Truman’s (Drury Street) or Brel (Ashton Lane).
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The festival is being delivered by M.ad Agency Ltd, the team behind successful cocktail events in Newcastle, York, and Manchester. Alongside Smirnoff, participating Diageo brands will include Captain Morgan, Tanqueray, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, Cîroc, Casamigos and Guinness, as well as alcohol-free alternatives such as Tanqueray 0.0% and Seedlip.
For a full list of participating bars and to purchase wristbands, visit www.glasgowcocktailfest.co.uk.
