Tonight, we were in the basement of Chambar, here to celebrate the release of Vancouver Cocktail Week’s tickets, with a taste of what we can expect at their flagship gala.
This is the fifth year of Vancouver Cocktail Week, held from March 1-8, 2026. As always, the week is a toast to the art of the cocktail with seminars, dinners, guest bartender shifts, and a variety of events. All of which are centred around Vancouver’s vibrant cocktail culture.
As taken from the press release. “It will be a destination event that celebrates the vibrant culture of food and drink in a city that is a hub of cocktail creativity, its multi-award-winning bartenders ambassadors for all that makes this such an exciting culinary community. This event will give those talented bartenders the showcase they deserve—and serve up delicious fun for consumers, too. The VCW 2026 presented by The Alchemist Magazine will celebrate the city’s cocktail culture with eight days of events designed to appeal to industry, consumers, visitors and media alike.”
Tonight, we were treated to cocktails created and mixed by the previous and latest annual World Class bartending competition winners.
2017’s Canada and Global winner Kaitlyn Stewart prepared a mint slush, that was a play on the grasshopper; featuring Tanqueray gin and topped with gold leaf.
Jeff Savage, 2019’s Canadian winner and Global Runner-Up was mixing a Paloma with grapefruit and Don Julio.
The national winner for 2025 is Kate Chernoff, who will be representing Canada at the global finals. She was behind Chambar’s bar mixing a berry number with Johnnie Walker.
There was a nitro espresso martini made with Ketel One Vodka.
I was surprised to learn that James May of Top Gear fame had his own, gin and we got to sample it neat as well as mixed as a gin and tonic.
However, local North Vancouver gin experts Cooperpenny had a more exciting offering with their latest limited release flavoured gin: Ember gin and their festive Figgy Pudding is back for another holiday year.
MSanctuary Single Malt Whisky was showcasing their signature edition release of 2026. This is 100% BC grown barley that is malted, mashed, fermented, and distill on site by Phillips’ Fermentorium Distilling. It is inspired by the coastal forests of Vancouver Island.
Visually, everyone was drawn to the neon green apple pie flavoured cocktail mixed by local East Vancouver spirit purveyors, Resurrection Sprits. Named “ bogey”, after the owner’s love of golf. This drank like dessert.
Giffard is a premium liqueur made in France, known for making any fruit or vegetable into a spirit. Case in point, today’s feature: Ginger of the Indies. This was mixed into a Ginger Rickey.
Empress 1908 was mixing with all the colours. Two different gin and tonics of your choice, either utilizing their indigo butterfly pea flower, or the red elderflower rose gin.
Tickets for VCW Signature Events went on sale December 1st. Whereas tickets for additional bar- and brand-led activations will added to the schedule in the coming weeks, with over 30 events to look forward to. However, if you can only attend one, let it be this one!
GALA OF COCKTAILS Saturday, March 7
The Gala of Cocktails is the signature event of Vancouver Cocktail Week. It’s a vibrant, all-inclusive celebration, showcasing the art of the cocktail in one spectacular evening.
Join us at the elegant Spanish Ballroom at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia for an unforgettable night where high style meets high-energy fun. Dress to impress and step into a world of endless, expertly crafted drinks from the city’s top mixologists and global spirit brands. This is your chance to sip, mingle, and celebrate with the best of the cocktail community!
Your all-inclusive ticket includes:
🍸 20+ Open Bar Stations: An incredible lineup of bars pouring premium cocktails.
🍹 30+ Creative Cocktails: Unlimited access to a diverse menu of expertly crafted drinks.
🍴 Premium Small Bites: On arrival, all attendees receive a complimentary token to exchange for a plate of 4 premium small food bites.
⏰ 4 Hours of Celebration: Non-stop fun, music, and mixology exploration.
🤝 Mingle with the Masters: Connect with top bartenders and brand ambassadors from around the world.
🎶 Live DJ: Keep the energy high with our resident DJ.
This is more than an event—it’s the biggest, most stylish, and spirited party of the year for cocktail lovers. Don’t miss out!
Step inside the glamour of Vancouver Cocktail Week’s 2025 Black & White Gala: Click here for the photo gallery.
Choose your experience:
VIP Access (7:00 PM): Skip the crowds with exclusive early entry and enjoy complimentary passed canapés during the first hour.
General Admission (8:00 PM): Dive into the full celebration at 8:00 PM! Experience the electric atmosphere as the main doors open to the city’s top cocktail party of the year.
