5 min readLate-night jazz, masterclasses, New Orleans blues and boozy candy floss are among the experiences coming to Bristol Cocktail Weekend this September. A special pop-up from The Ivy Clifton Brasserie and even a Sunday morning harbourside swim will also feature, as the festival reveals everything planned for its 2026 edition.
Now in its fourth year, Bristol Cocktail Weekend invites festival-goers to drink, dine and discover their way around a curated line-up of Bristol’s best bars and hospitality venues, with wristband holders unlocking an exclusive £7 signature cocktail and £6 no-alcohol alternative at every participating venue.
This year’s line-up brings together cocktail institutions and hidden gems including Milk Thistle, Filthy XIII, The Granary Club, Golden Crane, Flight Club Bristol, No.1 Harbourside, Dirty Martini and 2025 Cocktail of the Year winners The Juke Box.
Making its Bristol Cocktail Weekend debut, The Ivy Clifton Brasserie will step beyond its Queen’s Road home for one evening only on Saturday 27th September, creating an exclusive pop-up bar at St George’s Bristol and serving a £7 signature cocktail. The Ivy joins a host of festival newcomers for 2026, including The Architect, The Board Walk, Browns Brasserie and Bar, JAMAYA, Last Chance Saloon, Renato’s, Slug & Lettuce Bristol City Centre, Colonnade and Ritorno Lounge.
Beyond the signature serves, a packed programme of special events will run throughout the four days, from cocktail masterclasses to tastings and live music.
Chocolate lovers can explore two very different pairings. The Art of Rum & Chocolate with Diplomático at Filthy XIII will take guests through four Venezuelan rums paired with single-origin dark chocolate. At Colonnade, An Evening With Ruby brings Johnnie Walker together with Bristol chocolate makers Ruby Hue for a guided whisky and chocolate tasting.
New Orleans Blues and Whisky at Spirited will bring a taste of the Big Easy to Bristol, with live blues from The Slimline Shufflers, Buffalo Trace whisky tasting flights, classic New Orleans cocktails and gumbo. Wristband holders will also receive a complimentary welcome whisky.
St George’s Bristol will host four nights of free late-night jazz, curated by guitarist Adam Stokes, while Spirit of Bristol Master Distiller Pete Lumber will host an intimate tasting at Milk Thistle.
Elsewhere, guests can get hands-on at Harvey Nichols Rum Cocktail Masterclass, learning to shake, stir and muddle their own serves.
The programme continues into Sunday, starting with Splash & Sip, as Bristol Wild Swimmers and award-winning non-alcoholic drink producers Anon team up for a morning Harbourside dip. Later, Flight Club’s Bullseye Challenge gives guests three darts and the chance to win a Sharing Trophy Cocktail for four.
To round off the weekend, The Signature Series at Colonnade will serve up a six-course tasting menu, with every dish paired with a cocktail.
Food is firmly on the menu once again, with exclusive dishes and pairings adding to the weekend. At Colonnade, guests can pair their cocktail with six canapés for £3 each, or try the full sharing board for £15. The Granary Club is serving a £5 twist on cheese and pineapple, inspired by Del Boy’s legendary bar fall, which was filmed at the venue. And at Hotel du Vin, £2 boozy candy floss will be on offer, with proceeds going to charity.
Wristband holders can also tuck into a £14 smash burger or hot dog at Filthy XIII, a £3 slice of NY pizza at Renato’s and £7 off mains at Browns. There’s also 20% off food at Bambalan and Harbour Kitchen & Bar, and 25% off at JAMAYA.
The festival starts at Bambalan, where The Spirit of Bristol Festival Hub will get the cocktail adventure underway. Festival-goers can grab their wristbands and guides, enjoy a free Spirit of Bristol sample and plot their route before heading out for four days of cocktails, food and discovery across the city.
Alex Nicholson-Evans, Founder and Director of Bristol Cocktail Weekend, said: “This year’s event is shaping up to be our most dazzling to date! This is the point where people can really start planning their Bristol Cocktail Weekend. We’ve got some brilliant venues involved and a programme packed with a huge variety of things to eat, drink, discover and experience. There’s no set route and no right way to do it. Just pick the bars you’ve always wanted to try, add in a few events, discover somewhere new and make the weekend your own.”
Sabrina Shutter, Senior Project Events Manager at Bristol BID, said: “Bristol Cocktail Weekend is a brilliant celebration of the talent, creativity and passion at the heart of Bristol’s hospitality scene, giving bartenders, venues and their teams a chance to showcase what they do best. With everything from tastings and cocktail masterclasses to live music, food pairings and distiller experiences, there are plenty of reasons for people to try something new and explore the city.
For Bristol BID, supporting events like this is about creating opportunities for our hospitality businesses, bringing people into the city centre and celebrating the talented community that makes Bristol such a brilliant place to eat, drink and spend time.”
Organised by food and drink events specialists Living For The Weekend and supported by Bristol Business Improvement District (BID), Bristol Cocktail Weekend takes place from Thursday 24 - Sunday 27 September 2026.
Bristol Cocktail Weekend is an 18+ event. Please drink responsibly. For wristbands, full venue and event listings, and more information, visit bristolcocktailweekend.co.uk.
