Cocktail lovers and spirits aficionados, this one is for you: Vancouver Cocktail Week will be taking over the city’s F&B scene from March 2nd to 9th, 2025. We’re giving you more-than-enough notice to take whatever measures necessary to ensure that you’ve got space in your calendar to make the most of it!

For its fourth annual event, The Alchemist magazine is once again bringing together a bunch of Vancouver’s best local bartenders to rub shoulders with their peers from behind bars Canada wide and around the world, going all-out to participate in a week-long schedule including seminars, master classes, tasting events, cocktail-paired dinners, neighbourhood crawls, guest shifts and parties. Pick your speed! Guests who want to get swanky can do just that, at two signature events book-ending the Festival: a welcome brunch at Fairmont Waterfront’s ARC Restaurant; and the Black & White closing gala, March 8th in the Spanish Ballroom at Rosewood Hotel Georgia. Meanwhile, for those who prefer a more casual approach to their cocktails (now you’re talking), there will be opportunities to swing by any number of participating venues to enjoy ‘Cinq à Sept’ (aka ‘happy hour’, but next level) drinks that also combine food, art and community – no tickets required!

No matter how you choose to navigate the week of festivities, it bears mentioning that a portion of proceeds from VCW is being funnelled into the efforts of Mind The Bar, the national non-profit organization (founded in Vancouver back in 2018; more backstory here) that provides mental health support for those working in the F&B/Hospitality Industry.

Okay, now that we’ve provided you with the basic information, incentive and ample notice, there’s one more crucial date to take note of: Sunday, December 1st, 2024. That’s when tickets for the fourth annual Vancouver Cocktail Festival drop! When that happens (and in the meantime, to stay up-to-date with event developments and details) we recommending heading over here immediately to lock in your preferred imbibing opportunities.