A new international festival dedicated to gin will debut this month, with Sydney venues Maybe Sammy and The Barber Shop joining leading bars from across Asia, Europe, Africa and North America for the inaugural World Gin Week.
Running from 13–20 June, World Gin Week was created by spirits expert Philip Duff and Karl Finegan, owner of New York bar The Ivory Peacock. The inaugural event will feature 36 bars across 10 countries and five continents.
“We are very excited by the response that World Gin Week has been receiving from our friends and colleagues in the cocktail and spirits world across five continents,” said Duff. “Everything is coming together nicely for a truly unforgettable festival that we hope will further electrify the gin community here and abroad in celebration of a remarkable spirit.”
The week-long program includes pop-ups, tastings, and educational seminars, with participating venues including Bar Leone in Hong Kong, Atlas in Singapore, YOI in Kyoto, Connaught Bar in London and Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City. Sydney’s Maybe Sammy and The Barber Shop are among the Australian bars taking part.
Positioned between World Gin Day on 13 June and World Martini Day on 20 June, the festival aims to encourage consumers to discover new gin brands, cocktails and venues through educational events and venue activations.
The festival’s New York program includes a two-night residency from Erik Lorincz of London’s Kwãnt Mayfair, seminars from industry figures including Dale DeGroff, Steve Schneider, Simon Ford and Natasha Bahrami, and a series of events celebrating World Martini Day.
Participation in World Gin Week is free for bars, with an optional charitable component. A portion of ticket sales from official events will be donated to the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild National Charity Foundation.