After an intense year of hands-on cocktail-related ‘research’ – both playing host and doing guest stints abroad at some of the world’s best bars – the team at Chinatown speakeasy, Laowai, is primed to share their love of global cocktail culture with Vancouver via a bunch of boozy events (on their own stomping ground) as part of Vancouver Cocktail Week.

The calendar kicks off this weekend (Sunday, March 3rd) and runs through to Thursday, March 7th, with a schedule that includes several daytime seminars, as well as evening bar takeovers featuring a line-up of renown international bartenders, repping their respective home turfs in Guangzhou, Singapore, Buenos Aires and Madrid. Seminars go down from 1-3pm and cost $60 per person (including cocktails and snacks whipped up by Laowai’s Chef Phong); whereas nighttime gigs happen from 6-9pm with tickets going for $120 a pop (snacks and four cocktails also included). All events take place at Laowai and are open to the public. Get the rundown below, and then scoop up your tickets to whatever floats your boat here.

Laowai Pop-Up Schedule

Sunday, March 3rd

Seminar: Agave, rice, and traditional spirits in modern drinking seminar
with Jesse Vida, Head Bartender of Cat Bite Club (Singapore)
Sunday, March 3rd | 1-3pm | $60 per person (including cocktails and snacks)

Laowai X Cat Bite Club (Singapore) Guest Shift / Bar Takeover
with Jesse Vida and Sara De Mello
Sunday, March 3rd | 6-9pm | $120 per person (including four cocktails and snacks)

Monday, March 4th

Seminar: Chinese Spirits with Hope and Sesame (Guangzhou)
Monday, March 4th | 1-3pm | $60 per person (including cocktails and snacks)

Laowai X Hope and Sesame (Guangzhou) Guest Shift / Bar Takeover
Monday, March 4th | 6-9pm | $120 per person

Wednesday, March 6th

Seminar: Concept pivoting and reinvention of a successful brand
with Salmon Guru RESET (Madrid, Spain)
Wednesday, March 6th | 1-3pm | $60 per person

Laowai X Salmon Guru (Madrid, Spain) Guest Shift / Bar Takeover
with bartender Diego Cabrera
Wednesday, March 6th | 6-9pm | $120 per person (including four cocktails and snacks)

Thursday, March 7th

Seminar: Floreria Atlantico (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Thursday, March 7th | 1-3pm | $60 per person (including cocktails and snacks)

Laowai X Floreria Atlantico (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Guest Shift / Bar Takeover
with Ronato (Tato) Giovannoni
Thursday, March 7th | 6-9pm | $120 per person (including four cocktails and snacks)

BLND TGER // LAOWAI

Neighbourhood: Chinatown

251 East Georgia St.