Perth’s cocktail culture is about to get a major boost with the introduction of the Perth Cocktail Weekender, a new event that promises to spotlight the city’s top cocktail bars and bring in global bartending talent. Scheduled for Friday, August 9, and Saturday, August 10, the event is part of the broader Plateful Perth 2024, a month-long celebration of food and drink in the city.
In its inaugural year, the Perth Cocktail Weekender will feature takeovers by three of the World’s 50 Best Bars at leading local venues, while also showcasing the talents of local bartenders. The initiative, led by Marco Barsotti, Beverage & Bars Manager at The Ritz Carlton, will take place at Songbird Bar, Terrarium, and Mechanics Institute.
Barsotti expressed his enthusiasm for the event, emphasizing its potential to highlight Perth’s mixology scene. “At Songbird, we craft each cocktail into a masterpiece, and across the city, there are many bars doing incredible things in mixology, but it is still an undiscovered scene. With Perth Cocktail Weekender, we aim to showcase a level of mixology that has never before been seen in Perth, making waves in the community and building the city’s reputation as serious contenders on the mixology scene,” he said.
The festival will offer visitors the opportunity to sample cocktails from some of the world’s most renowned bars. On Friday, Dubai’s Galaxy Bar will take over Songbird Bar, while Saturday will see Madrid’s Salmon Guru at Terrarium and Sydney’s Maybe Sammy and El Primo Sanchez at Mechanics Institute.
Barsotti hopes that by collaborating with internationally acclaimed bars, the event will not only give exposure to local bars but also elevate Perth’s status on both a national and international scale. “For the first edition of the event, we chose three iconic bars in Perth to start developing this culture. The idea is to help Perth be recognized around the world, which is why we invited people from outside Australia and Sydney, giving us significant visibility,” he explained.
Highlighting the chosen venues, Barsotti noted, “We selected Terrarium because the bar manager, Alexander, focuses on developing new bartenders with his own cocktail competitions. Mechanics Institute was chosen for its emphasis on Australian products, steering away from big brands and focusing on local and Australian offerings.”
Barsotti also encourages a collaborative approach among local bars and bartenders to uplift the industry. “It’s important to participate in competitions, attend seminars, and be present in the bartending scene. Perth has a lot to offer, and it needs to be discovered. The only way for Perth to be discovered is either by bringing people to Perth or by having Perth’s bartenders participate and showcase their talents elsewhere,” he added.
In addition to the bar takeovers, the Perth Cocktail Weekender will feature exclusive events, masterclasses, and networking opportunities for industry professionals. A full program is expected to be released soon.
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