The United States Bartenders Guild (USBG) embarks on third celebration of Arizona’s cocktail culture at bars, restaurants and lounges across the state. Highlights will include new events, returning favorites, statewide “Imbibe & Dine” specials, as well as mixology seminars and tastings. This is a great winter festival for anyone looking to sip and savor Arizona’s finest cocktails, learn tips and techniques from nationally renowned mixologists, and ultimately, have a great time.
As seen in the pages of national magazines such as Bon Appétit and Food & Wine, Arizona’s cocktail culture has come a long way since the heyday of frozen margaritas and appletinis. But why just read about the state’s flourishing cocktail scene, when you can savor the best of the Grand Canyon State by the glassful at the 2014 Arizona Cocktail Week (AZCW). Mark your calendars as AZCW returns for a third round February 14 through 21, 2014, with more cocktail-centric festivities than you can shake a swizzle stick at. In 2014, Arizona Cocktail Week is proud to announce that they are partnering with the popular smartphone-based, on demand car request service, Uber, to offer special discounts and help attendees get home safely.
Kicking off with the “Love On The Rocks” anti-Valentine’s Day cocktail party on Friday, February 14, new events for 2014 include week-long Pop Up Bars created by nationally-noted mixologists, and the Artisanal Cocktail Market on Monday, February 18, a farmer’s market-style event showcasing the finest in local cocktail products, small-batch bitters, farm-fresh ingredients, demos and tastings.
And that’s just a tiny sip of the exciting events at this year’s cocktail extravaganza, highlighted by the signature Cocktail Carnival at the Hotel Valley Ho, a sprawling affair featuring pop-up bars, vendor booths, carnival games, circus performers, live performances from up and coming local bands, and countless cocktail tastings. Arizona’s most spirited week also features an all-star lineup of both nationally renowned and locally grown mixologists leading interactive tastings and educational seminars (which are open to both industry members and the general public, and are expected to sell out again). All week long, guests can once again enjoy Imbibe & Dine cocktail and food pairings at restaurants across Arizona. Not to mention, the return of the Last Slinger Standing Event–this year’s event pits two neighboring states against one another. The battle of state lines will feature Arizona’s best bartenders against the best Nevada has to offer.
Arizona Cocktail Week. Top photo courtesy of Lisa Olson Photography.
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
