Tales of the Cocktail
Looking for a fun summer event to learn more about and, yes, even sample your favorite cocktails? Check out the Tales of the Cocktail festival, an annual five-day event where bar and spirits industry professionals and cocktail enjoyers from around the world come together to celebrate and learn more about the spirits industry.
The 2025 festival takes place June 20-25 at the Ritz Carlton, New Orleans at 921 Canal St. This year's theme is Evolve, with a special focus on how the cocktail industry continues to grow and change.
Hosted by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, the festival began as a French Quarter walking tour in 2002 and has grown to become a global cocktail conference. The foundation aims to support the hospitality industries and serve as a focal point for new and innovative cocktail ideas.
Event Information
Entry tickets are $10 per day, and cocktail tours can be purchased for $65. Tasting day passes are available for $45, or go all out and get a tasting week pass for $175.
More interested in the tricks and trades of cocktails and spirits? Seminar + tasting day passes are available for $185 or $595 for the week.
There are also seminars geared towards bartenders, with seminar + tasting day passes for $155 or $500 for the week.
The seminars include interesting topics including "Step up your Garnish Game!" at 12:30 p.m. on July 21, "Queer Bodies in Hospitality: Finding Your Community" at 11:30 a.m. on the 22nd, and "Jamaica's Liquid Gold: The Craft and Culture of Rum" at 12:30 p.m. on the 23rd.
There are also events to highlight LGBTQ-owned, minority-owned, and women-owned companies. The Tale of the Cocktail Foundation itself boasts a female executive team, dedicated to making their events and the industries they support more inclusive.
Tales Catalyst
The festival recognizes two female or non-binary individuals for being pioneers of their industry in the Tales Catalyst ceremony, which will be taking place on July 22 this year. One award is given to an individual from the U.S., and the other is given to an individual from the international community. 2024's recipients were U.S. honoree Becky Paskin, the founder of OurWhiskey Foundation, and international honoree Keyatta Mincey Parker, the executive director of A Sip of Paradise Garden.
The Tales Catalyst is open to those who purchase a day or week seminar + tasting tickets.
Spirited Awards
Also occurring during the festival is the Spirited Awards, one of the most prestigious award ceremonies for the spirits industry. The 2025 Spirited Awards takes place on July 24 and requires an additional ticket, available on Ticketmaster.
One important thing to note about the festival is that you must be 21 or older to attend. However, drinking is certainly not a requirement, and the festival has Ben's Friends Sobriety Meetings, which are meetings for those who work in the service industry who are, or are working towards being, sober.
Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to become cocktail savvy! Find out more here, and purchase tickets here.
