Events: Arizona - Phoenix - Scottsdale

The transcontinental airline tickets have been booked, the shakers and secret ingredients are packed, and it’s finally time reveal the world-class lineup of Top Bars coming to the 2020 Arizona Cocktail Weekend. Hosted for one night only (Sunday, Feb. 16) inside the recently refreshed and handsomely expanded The Croft warehouse and event venue in downtown Phoenix, sample a jet-setting array of signature cocktails from pop-up version of 30+ renowned craft cocktail lounges from the far corners of the earth, including Australia, Guatemala and the U.K. In fact, the 2020 Top Bars lineup features several of the “World’s 50 Best Bars”, from London’s proudly dive-y Happiness Forgets (motto: “high end cocktails, low rent basement”) to Sydney’s stunningly-gorgeous, Maybe Sammy and Manhattan’s red-hot, Japanese-inspired Katana Kitten.” Full list of confirmed Top Bars is below, with many more to be added shortly.

Plus, Arizona Cocktail Weekend is proud to announce an exciting new lineup of Sip & Stay specials just for AZCW attendees at top hotels across downtown Phoenix. And per customer demand, the 2020 AZCW is now offering a variety of ticket specials, including early bird discounts and show-only tickets (no drink samples) starting at only $25, as well as VIP tickets offering one-hour of early access and all the cocktail samples one would ever need. Ticket info available at: www.arizonacocktailweekend.com. And as ever, the 2020 AZCW will also include dozens of free seminars, tastings and festive soirees on a first come, first serve basis.

All-new for 2020, AZCW has partnered with the famed local art gallery and events space, Walter Where?House to host the national touring marching band MarchFourth at the Cocktail Carnival kickoff party on Saturday, February 15. Then, on President’s Day (Monday, February 17), it’s the return of the highly-anticipated Last Slinger Standing bartending competition, pitting top mixologists from across the Southwest in a live head-to-head bartending competition. Furthermore, top lounges, bars and restaurants across Downtown Phoenix and up and down Phoenix’s Light Rail will be hosting AZCW events, dinners and exclusive cocktail tastings. The list of confirmed participating venues is below, with additional venue and AZCW events information to be announced as those details become available.

2020 Top Bars confirmed participants:

ABV (San Francisco), American Bonded (Denver), Brass Tacks (Denver), Cafe No Se (Antigua, Guatemala), Genghis Cohen (Los Angeles), Happiness Forgets* (London), Katana Kitten* (New York), Maybe Sammy* (Sydney), Roosevelt Room (Austin), Sweet Liberty* (Miami), The Sazerac Bar (New Orleans) and many more from around the country and across Arizona.

Previous Top Bars participants include iconic imports: The Manhattan Bar* (Singapore), Raised By Wolves (San Diego), The Savoy, Portobello Star, and Callooh Callay, Bar Swift* (London), The Dead Rabbit*, Employees Only* and Leyenda (New York City), Herbs & Rye, Golden Tiki (Las Vegas), Dr. Stravinsky* (Barcelona), Occidental (Denver), Arnaud’s French 75 (New Orleans), Whitechapel, Tommy’s* (San Francisco), Nickel City (Austin) & The Clumsies* (Athens, GA) just to name a few. Plus Arizona landmarks: Bitter & Twisted, Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails, Clever Koi, Cotton & Copper, Elvira’s, Hotel Congress, The Breadfruit, The Brickyard, The Gladly and UnderTow.  *2019/18 “World’s 50 Best Bars” winners

2020 AZCW Event Venues

• Across The Pond
• Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
• Blue Hound & Luster Rooftop Pool Bar
• Century Grand
• Chico Malo
• Clever Koi
• Little Rituals
• Nook Kitchen
• The Breadfruit & Rum Bar
• The Croft
• Walter Where?House Gallery
• Plus more to come

2020 Official Hotel Partners

• Cambria Hotel Downtown Phoenix Convention Center
• Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Downtown
• Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix
• Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel
• Residence Inn by Marriott Phoenix Downtown

Featured Events

• Cocktail Carnival – Saturday, Feb. 15
• Top Bars – Sunday, Feb. 16
• Last Slinger Standing – Monday, Feb. 17

AZCW Pre- and Post-Events

• Pernod Ricard hosts Bar Smarts Advanced testing – Thursday, Feb. 13
• Tequila Patrón hosts Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) Seminar – Tuesday, Feb. 18
• Additional Events to be announced

Giving Back

The Arizona Cocktail Weekend is also dedicated to giving back to the local community, including its own dedicated 501(c3) charity, The Jupiter Foundation, which in 2020 is focused on supporting beneficiaries such as the Local First Arizona Foundation.