GENERAL FESTIVAL QUERIES
What are the dates?
In 2023, London Cocktail Week is happening 12-22 October, incorporating two weekends!
You’ll need a wristband to get involved - it’s outstanding value at £15 - valid for the whole time.
What do I get with my wristband?
A £15 wristband grants you access to enjoy £8 Signature Cocktails in hundreds of the very best bars in London for the full duration of the festival. You can use the wristband as many times as you like and keep enjoying discounted drinks throughout the weeks that the festival is running.
What if I want multiple wristbands for my friends?
How generous you are! If you’ve bought wristbands for your pals you can either add their email addresses at the point of purchase and they’ll receive their own ticket link - or you can opt to receive them all and it’s down to you to collect them on your friends’ behalf.
How do I actually get my wristband?
You’ll receive your email confirmation from our ticket partner - Design My Night. When you arrive at your first bar simply activate the ticket link you’ll have received on email and the bar staff at that bar will give you your wristbands. There will be ample wristbands at every single bar taking part in the festival and they’re fully briefed on what to do. These wristbands are removable (and washable!)
How do I best plan my evening?
The LondonCocktailWeek.com website is fully mobile-optimised, so you can plan your night out as you go. You can view all our venues on a map, so you can see what is nearest to you while you’re out and about. You can also opt to only show venues that are currently open so you don’t make a wasted journey. If you’re into planning ahead, you can download collections of bars or search results, so you don’t have to worry about losing signal in those lovely basement bars.
THE COCKTAIL TOURS
What do I have to do to enjoy £8 cocktails in London’s best bars during London Cocktail Week?
You’ll need a London Cocktail Week wristband which you can buy online and collect from any of our participating bars. Then simply flash said wristband throughout the festival (12-22 October) to be served special £8 drinks! All the bars taking part are listed on the LondonCocktailWeek.com website - you can search by area, spirit or bar type as well as on a map or by who is open.
Who gets the money from the cocktails sold on The Cocktail Tours?
100% of all revenue from The Cocktail Tours stays with our bar partners. London Cocktail Week is committed to supporting the participating venues, and ensuring as much revenue is being injected into the hospitality scene as possible!
What if I’m the only one in my group with a wristband, can I get drinks for my friends?
You can personally enjoy all the benefits of the £8 cocktail deals, however the rest of your group will not be able to participate in the deal.
Each individual must be wearing their own wristband in order to get the London Cocktail Week £8 Signature Cocktail offer. This therefore means that buying rounds will only be possible where the bartender can see you all have wristbands on. If you’re out and about and you need some extra wristbands - simply buy online, activate immediately and collect from the bar you're in. Easy.
Is there a limit to how many cocktails I can have?
There is no limit imposed on the number of discounted drinks you are allowed to consume over the festvial- you’re an adult and we like to think that you can make good choices about drinking mindfully. However – the point of London Cocktail Week is not to see how many cocktails you can possibly fit in, but to visit new venues, try things you’ve previously not tasted and to support small businesses! Our partnering bars reserve the right not to serve individuals who they believe to be intoxicated, so please drink responsibly.
Is there a limit to how many cocktails I can have per venue?
If there is a limit on the amount of drinks available per person, per venue – this will be clearly listed on the INSIDER INFORMATION on the bars specific page within our website. If this rule is in place and you loved the drink - pop back another time during the festival!
Can I have any drink on the menu for £8?
Our bar partners work hard to create special menus for London Cocktail Week so no - it’s not every drink on the list that’s £8 - just those that are marked as Signature Cocktails or London Cocktail Week Specials. Some venues have a shortlist of drinks, some have some non-alcoholic options which are priced at £6. If in doubt about the Signature Cocktail available - ask!
How do I see if my favourite bar is involved?
On the website – just use our search functionality and type in the name, or search by area if you’ve got a vague idea where it was but can’t quite remember the name.
I love cocktails, but I don’t want to drink too much, or at all…
Every year we challenge the bars we’re partnering with to create a no alcohol or low alcohol cocktail option to go alongside their main Signature Cocktail. This means that you can choose to take things more slowly - or not drink alcohol at all if you prefer!
Not all bars are offering this so make sure you check in advance on the website - where it will be clearly marked as Non-Alc.
EVENTS
Where do I see the full timetable of events for the main festival in October?
The full timetable will be available on the website from September 2023.
I’m ONLY interested in masterclasses – where should I look?
On the Events page of the website – scroll through the collections we’ve made and click through to masterclasses. Or parties. Or pop-ups. Or whatever else takes your fancy. You can also narrow things down by using the search bar!
Please note, the timetable for 2023 goes live in September.
I work in the hospitality trade and want to only attend trade-appropriate events – where should I look?
There’s a specific trade timetable for London Cocktail Week with tastings and seminars that have been specially created for trade professionals. These are grouped together under Trade Events within the website, and are marked with a Trade-Only flag on the top left corner.
LEGALITIES
What age must I be to take part?
London Cocktail Week is an over 18 event, therefore ID may be required when collecting or purchasing tickets. Please note, we adhere to the Challenge 25 policy so don’t be offended if you’re lucky enough to look younger than your years. Some bars taking part operate an over 21 policy but this will be clearly listed on the INSIDER INFORMATION on the bars specific page within the website.