The Singapore Cocktail Festival kicks off this week with a 5,000sqm Festival Village celebrating the world of mixology along with music and food.
From 16 to 21 March 2017, you will be able to catch international bartending stalwarts from the Asia’s and World’s 50 Best Bars list and participate in workshops and bar tours. At the heart of the festival is the #SGCF2017 Festival Village, home to Asia’s largest celebration of cocktails.
The Festival Village is located on 99 Beach Road (next to Shaw Towers) and will
be housed in a former police station built in the 1930s. Featuring nine different
cocktail rooms, a food street and a music stage, the village opens from 4.00pm to 10.00pm on Thursday and Friday, and 12noon to 10.00pm on Saturday and Sunday. Entry to the village is complimentary, and all cocktails will retail at $12 nett.
Cocktail rooms include the “Room of Illusion” by Kult, an underground gallery
known for its support for young street artists and illustrators. “In a world of
instant gratification and excess, are we slowly neglecting the capacity to focus
and appreciate beauty around us? Is it real or is it an illusion? Trickery? Fake
views?” Addressing these questions, guests who enter this room are invited to
take a step back, to examine and extract the beauty and information that a single
image can possess. The cocktails in this room will be inspired by the images on
display.
In the room of “Dreams” presented by Monkey Shoulder, Hendrick’s Gin and
Reyka Vodka, each brand will explore a different element of dreams. For
example, Hendrick’s ‘Tasting in a Dream’ is a virtual reality audio and visual
rendering of a dream experience, taking consumers on a fantastical journey of
sights, sounds and smells, while Reyka vodka will create a dreamscape inspired
by its Icelandic roots. A series of cocktails inspired by each brand’s
interpretation of the dream concept will also be available for sale to complete the
experience.
In the Artisanal Spirits Room, guests will be invited to taste unique,
handcrafted spirits including Nusa Cana, the world’s first tropical island white
rum inspired by the island of Bali; Sơn Tinh is a unique selection of authentic
Vietnamese flavours, carefully hand-crafted in small batches from 100% natural
ingredients and well matured over many years; as well as Mekhong, The Spirit of
Thailand, which is created through a secret production process that has been
passed down for generations, using raw ingredients that exude a true Thai
essence. To enjoy these spirits, festival goers can purchase a tasting card at $19
nett for four 15ml shots.
Guests can also be a part of exciting events in rooms such as the Asia Bar Battle
Room, where bartending teams from Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines,
Thailand and Vietnam battle through challenges across categories such as “Need
for Speed”, “Mystery Box” and “Flare Off”. The Singapore’s Next Top Cocktail
Room will showcase the final four cocktails that are in the running to win the top
spot – Kopi Ol’ Fashioned by Crackerjack, Shiok Collins by Mitzo Restaurant & Bar, Lion City Sour by 28 HongKong Street and Leo’s Flip by Nutmeg & Clove. Festival goers can vote for a cocktail that best represents Singapore today, by uploading their votes on social media.
Other rooms at the Festival Village include the Cuts & Booze Room, inspired by barber shops and hair salons of yesteryear; Disco Fitness Room, inspired by the retro era of disco balls, colourful headbands and leg warmers; Bols Genever Room and Snow Leopard Vodka Room, both of which will be showcasing classic and signature cocktails, along with appearances by guest bartenders and brand ambassadors.
On the Food Street, enjoy delicious bites prepared by restaurants such as IZYDining and Bar, a Japanese-American Izakaya popular for their Japanese Nokke Roll and Wagyu Truffle Don; The Disgruntled Brasserie, which serves modern, comfort cuisine in small and big plates, and Ninja Cut, known for their hearty and wholesome one-dish meals that are delicious and easy to eat. Prices range from $10 to $15 nett.
The music line-up will feature Resident DJs of CÉ LA VI, Brendon P, known for
his disco-influenced grooves; Ramesh K, who earned his reputation as one of the
most respected eclectic DJs in Singapore; Joshua P, whose repertoire ranges from
funk and soul to afro-jazz and breaks; and YA5TH, a familiar face in the hip hop
and rhythm and blues circuit.
The little ones can also join in the fun from 12.00 noon to 4.00pm on Saturday
and Sunday (18 and 19 March 2017) while parents enjoy afternoon drinks with
friends. A free-access play zone that includes a bouncy castle and fun games will
be available to keep them occupied throughout the day.
Bookings now open for bar tours and seminars
At the Festival Village, visitors can sign up for bar tours that will take them
across some of Singapore’s best bars. Bar tour themes include “Gin There, Done
That”, which is an all gin round-up; “New Kids On the Block”, which features
some of the newest bars in town; “Who Run the World”, which brings limelight to leading ladies in the world of cocktails; and “Suave The Day”, showcasing not just delicious cocktails, but the great looking bartenders behind them.
Tour schedules and pre-booking are available at
singaporecocktailfestival.com
from Friday, 3 March 2017. Every ticket is priced at $98 nett. Festival goers may
also book tours at the Festival Village itself, and will need to do so at least two
hours before the start of each tour.
Last but not least, for the first time in Asia, the Festival Village presents a
seminar by London based Distill Ventures, the world’s only accelerator for the
spirits industry. The seminar will be hosted by Co-Founder Dan Gasper and a
panel of experienced drink entrepreneurs across Asia. Titled “Brick by Brick –
Building a modern spirit business in Asia”, the session explores Distill Ventures’
framework that helps entrepreneurs develop and grow exciting new brands.
This 60 minute seminar is complimentary and will be held on Sunday, 19 March
2017 at 2pm. Interested parties can register to attend at
singaporecocktailfestival.com on a first-come-first-serve basis.
SINGAPORE COCKTAIL FESTIVAL
Singapore Cocktail Festival
Festival Village Address: 99 Beach Road
Festival Dates: 16 to 21 March 2017 (Thurs to Tues)
Email:
hello@sgcocktailfest.com
Facebook and Instagram: @SGCocktailFest, #SGCF2017
Festival Village Address: 99 Beach Road, Singapore 189701
Festival Village Operating Hours:
16 – 17 March (Thurs, Fri) from 4.00pm to 10.00pm;
18 – 19 March (Sat, Sun) from 12.00pm to 10.00pm
Entry to the village is complimentary.
All photos courtesy of Singapore Cocktail Festival