PUBLISHED January 16th, 2017 05:00 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:26 pm
Remember Singapore Cocktail Week? If you’ve been an ardent fan of our city’s best celebration of all things boozy, say hello to its 2017 edition – with a new name and concept, no less – the first Singapore Cocktail Festival, which is happening 16-21 March 2017.
After two years of bringing us cheap(er) tipples, famed bartenders from around the world, and more cocktail knowledge than we ever thought we’d have, the folks at SGCF are continuing Asia’s biggest celebration of cocktails this year the same way, albeit with a shorter, six-day calendar. But hey, this year will see the inaugural Festival Village at the old Beach Road Police Station.
Definitely THE highlight of SCGF 2017, think four days of sampling 50 different cocktails at just $12 nett spread out over 10 immersive cocktail experience rooms. The 5,000 square metre Festival Village will also host a food street full of restaurant pop-ups, a tasting room featuring handcrafted and small-batch spirits, and a stage for live music by leading local musicians.
What’s more, after two rounds of shortlisting by industry experts, four bartenders will be presenting their cocktails for public voting at the village in a bid for their cocktail to represent Singapore, so head down and have a hand in crowning Singapore’s next top cocktail. The best part? They’ve also done away with the wristbands (that used to be your hot ticket to all the creative cocktails and the events), entry is now complimentary!
SGCF is anchored by the three pillars of Taste, Play, and Learn, so apart from the Festival Village, the rest of SGCF is nothing to thumb your nose at, with no less than 45 participating local bars this year. Expect special SGCF cocktail menus and cocktail-food pairing experiences, thematic cocktail parties and bar tours, as well as hands-on masterclasses led by industry veterans and guest bartender shifts.
For the latter, confirmed headliners include Alex Kratena – previously at Artesian in London and founder of P(OUR) -, Naren Young (Dante, New York), Hiroyasu Kayama (Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo), and more. The full guest bartending line-up is expected to be out mid-February, so watch this space!
The Singapore Cocktail Festival runs 16-21 March 2017; the #SCGF2017 Festival Village is happening 16-19 March 2017. For more information and the latest updates, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.