We put together an offhand guide to this spirited 10-day event
May is set to be a month of merriment, fizzled with a smidge of mayhem, with the return of Singapore Cocktail Festival 2018!
Happening from 4 to 13 May, the illustrious 10-day long gala will see to the likes of revered mixologists, spirit aficionados and passionate imbibers, gathering together in celebration of the complex concoction we call the cocktail.
With the inaugural ceremony of this year's Asia's 50 Best Bars awards taking place on 3 May, the festival will begin eventfully on the following day, kicking off with the Festival Village that lasts over the weekend of 4 to 6 May at the Empress Lawn. The conviviality then continues at various bars all over Singapore, where highlights include special food pairing menus and intimate bar tours for an ultimate cocktail experience.
So how does one revel with discernment at the 10-day long festival?
3. Strategise before tackling the dizzying Festival Village
We would assume you have already purchased tickets (from $28 for a one-day entry to $50 for a three-day pass) to the Festival Village. If not, why haven’t you? Not only will you be entitled to the aforementioned Cocktail Passport of festive deals, a three-piece SGF cocktail shaker set (valued $50) will also be yours to bring home.
Now that you have gained entry to the Festival Village, it’s time to put things into perspective. Are you here to liberally imbibe on all sorts of cocktails from the pop-up bars, meet and greet visiting bartenders, or participate in the festival’s line up of activities? Once you figured out your alcoholic priorities, we recommend gleaning through the full schedule here as guest bartenders and workshops are rotated over the three-day event. Some highlights to look out for are the returning Artisanal Spirits Tasting Room, where you can sample artisanal spirits, the Asia Bar Battle that pits bartenders against each other through the art of mixology, and the Food Street for hearty nosh.
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