Our annual round up of dates, days and events that may or may not be of interest to you.
Now we aren’t really sure when you’ll be able to make the most of these dates, but we figure that this year, more than any, making the most of special days and dates in the calendar is going to be crucial. Now seems like the ideal time to start planning how to maximise these opportunities before the breaks finally come off the restrictions and we are back to moaning about Friday night Karens.
Now admittedly a lot of these are ‘National’ dates in the US rather than the UK, mainly because if we’d stuck with only UK acknowledged dates you’d be trying to wring extra cash out of Seed Gathering Sunday (9th Oct if you’re interested), what they don’t know don’t harm them etc. We have picked out the ‘days’ that we think you may be able to come up with a spin to put on an event, launch a special drink, have a party or just have a laugh with, all in aid of putting more cash in the tills.
When it comes to industry events and shows you will see that many have yet to announce if/when they are taking place this year (as a general rule the European/Asian shows are taking it cautiously and the US events are going for a more ‘fuck it’ approach). Where no announcement has been made we have left the dates as the last ones announced (mostly last years) so you can get an idea of the time of year it usually takes place, and noted these are old dates. We will keep updating this list when we hear news.
January
- 24th Beer Can Appreciation Day
- 25th Burns Night, Irish Coffee Day
- 26th Australia Day
- 31st Brandy Alexander Day
February
- 5th Working Naked Day
- 7th Pisco Sour Day
- 12th Chinese New Year (2021 is Year of the Ox)
- 14th Valentines Day
- 15th – 17th Arizona Cocktail Weekend (postponed until Feb 26 – 28 2022)
- 18th Drink Wine Day
- 26th – 29rd Bourbon Classic, Louisville (postponed until Nov 3 – 6 2021)
- 22nd Margarita Day
- 24th World Bartender Day
- 27th Kahlua Day
March
- 3rd Irish Whiskey Day, Mulled Wine Day
- 5th Absinthe Day, Employee Appreciation Day
- 8th International Women’s Day
- 9th World DJ Day
- 14th International Crisps Day
- 16th No Selfies Day
- 17th St Patrick’s Day (Bank Holiday in NI)
- 20th World Storytelling Day
- 22nd World Day for Water
- 23rd Chip & Dip Day
- 27th International Whisk(e)y Day
April
- 2nd Good Friday
- 5th Easter Monday (no Bank Holiday in Scotland)
- 6th New Beers Eve
- 7th Beer Day
- 15th Banana Day
- 16th Wear Pyjamas to Work Day
- 19th Amaretto Day
- 19th – 22nd Tales on Tour, Puerto Rico (No date announced)
- 22nd Earth Day
- 22nd – 24th The Cognac Show (online only for 2021)
- 23rd St Georges Day
- 27th Tell a Story Day
May
- 1st – 2nd Kentucky Derby
- 2nd Truffle Day
- 3rd May Bank Holiday
- 5th Cinco de Mayo
- 6th National Beverage Day
- 7th Cosmopolitan Day
- 9th – 10th Tokyo International BarShow (No date announced)
- 13th World Cocktail Day
- 14th – 15th Rum Renaissance, Florida
- 15th World Whisky Day
- 16th Chartreuse Day, Mimosa Day, BBQ Day
- 19th – 20th Lisbon Bar Show (No date announced)
- 21st International Tea Day
- 22nd World Paloma Day, Craft Distillery Day
- 25th International Wine Day
- 25th – 31st Camp Runamok, Kentucky (No date announced)
- 28th Burger Day
- 30th Mint Julep Day
- 31st Bank Holiday
June
- 1st Olive Day
- 3rd World Cider Day
- 4th Cognac Day
- 5th Moonshine Day
- 9th – 10th Bar Convent Brooklyn (moved to 17 – 18 August 2021)
- 10th Iced Tea Day
- 12th Rosé Day
- 13th World Gin Day
- 14th – 15th Cocktails Spirits, Paris (No date announced)
- 14th Bourbon Day
- 15th Beer Day
- 19th Martini Day
- 24th – 30th Negroni Week (No date announced)
- 27th Pineapple Day
- 30th Mai Tai Day
July
- 1st International Joke Day
- 2nd Anisette Day
- 4th US Independence Day
- 5th – 6th Imbibe Live, London
- 5th – 8th World Class Final
- 6th Fried Chicken Day
- 7th Dive Bar Day
- 10th Pina Colada Day
- 11th World Rum Day, Mojito Day
- 12th Battle of the Boyne – Orangemen’s Day (Bank Holiday in NI)
- 14th Grand Marnier Day
- 17th Tattoo Day
- 19th Daiquiri Day
- 21st Junk Food Day
- 21st – 26th Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans (No date announced)
- 22nd Mango Day, Hot Dog Day
- 24th Tequila Day
- 27th Scotch Whisky Day
- 31st Black Tot Day
August
- 2nd Bank Holiday
- 3rd Watermelon Day
- 5th Oyster Day
- 6th International Beer Day
- 7th Mead Day
- 10th – 12th Toronto Cocktail Conference (No date announced)
- 12th Vinyl Record Day
- 13th – 15th London Craft Beer Festival
- 13th Prosecco Day
- 15th World Honey Bee Day
- 17th – 18th Bar Convent Brooklyn
- 17th – 23rd Camp Runamok, Kentucky (No date announced)
- 18th Fajita Day
- 19th World Photography Day, Aviation Day
- 24th International Strange Music Day
- 25th Whisk(e)y Sour Day
- 25th Red Wine Day
- 29th Lemon Juice Day
September
- 7th – 9th Restaurant & Bar Hong Kong
- 11th – 12th San Diego Spirits Festival
- 10th World Suicide Prevention Day
- 13th Boss/Employee Exchange Day, Cachaca Day
- 15th Creme de Menthe Day, Cheese Toasty Day (mmmmm what a combo!)
- 16th – 19th Kentucky Bourbon Festival
- 18th – 21st Sydney Bar Week
- 19th Talk Like A Pirate Day
- 20th Rum Punch Day
- 21st New York Day
- 24th – 26th Barometer International Bar Show, Kiev
- 25th One-Hit Wonder Day
- 30th Mulled Cider Day
October
- 1st International Coffee Day
- London Cocktail Week (exact date tbc)
- 4th Vodka Day, Taco Day
- 6th Orange Wine Day
- 8th World Egg Day
- 10th World Mental Health Day
- 11th -13th Bar Convent Berlin
- 16th Liqueur Day
- 19th International Gin & Tonic Day
- 20th World Calvados Day, International Chef Day
- 21st Mezcal Day, Apple Day
- 31st Halloween
November
- 1st World Vegan Day
- 2nd Day of the Dead
- 2nd – 3rd Whisky Show London
- 3rd Stress Awareness Day
- 5th Bonfire Night, Whisky Fest Chicago
- 8th Harvey Wallbanger Day
- 8th – 13th Portland Cocktail Week (No date announced)
- 10th – 11th Athens Bar Show (No date announced)
- 12th Happy Hour Day
- 14th Diwali
- 14th Pickle (Back?) Day
- 23rd Espresso Day
- 24th World Jukebox Day
- 25th Thanksgiving Day
- Perfect Serve BarShow Amsterdam (exact date tbc)
December
- 3rd Bartender Appreciation Day
- 5th Repeal Day
- 10th Lager Day, Lost & Found Day
- 14th Screwdriver Day
- 16th Chocolate Covered Anything Day
- 20th Sangria Day
- 24th Eggnog Day
- 31st Champagne Day
If you have any local bar shows, bar weeks etc happening please email simon@barlifeuk.com and we’ll add them to the list.
