The fifth annual Arizona Cocktail Week (AZCW) is in town from Feb. 13 to Feb. 21, and this year promises to bring more booze, fun and a little bit of education.
AZCW is making the event easier to navigate this year with the SmartPhone application, Arizona Cocktail Week. By downloading the application, event goers will have an accessible guide to events and can purchase tickets at the click of a button.
“The App is the next evolution for AZCW getting all the information of our event to participants in an effective way that’s fun to use,” said co-founder of AZCW Damon Scott.
While the event promises to be full of fun times and drinking, participants can also attend a variety of seminars and walk away from the event feeling educated. Seminars are led by professionals in the bartending field, and include topics such as blending sessions and how to make homemade cocktails.
Experienced bartender Niklas Morris, who was recently featured in Cocktails on Tap, will lead the seminar Beer Cocktails 2.0. Morris will cover the history of beer cocktails in the French Alps and will educate the audience on the perfect pairings of spirits and beers.
While beer is a popular beverage, many people are not a fan of the drink. AZCW has a plan. With nine seminars to choose from, participants can choose events such as The Herbalist; A Sensory Experience. This seminar will demonstrate how flowers and herbs are transferred into popular liquors.
Aside from educational sessions, the event will feature a Bartender Swap Meet, Cocktailgating Festival and an Artisanal Market.
The Cocktailgating Festival will take place in the parking lot of Hotel Valley Ho. Attendees can participate in games and indulge in a variety of free liquor samples.
AZCW is partnered with Careers through the Culinary Arts Program, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting professional development in the restaurant and hospitality industries.