Maybe Cocktail Festival

Overview

Maybe Sammy is no stranger to accolades, landing on the World's Best Bar list multiple times and even taking out the number one spot on last year's Top 500 Bars for 2023 list. The Sydney institution has now pulled some strings with its fellow award-winning mixologists to put together another massive lineup for the return of its huge cocktail festival dubbed Maybe Cocktail Festival, which first debuted in 2023. Presenting free pop-ups starring over 30 of the world's top bartending talent between Tuesday, April 9–Sunday, April 14 across Sydney, this is one not to miss.

The lineup spans several inner-city venues including the OG Maybe Sammy in The Rocks, as well as Dean & Nancy on 22, Sammy Junior, The Strand Hotel Rooftop and Paddington's crowd-favourite, El Primo Sanchez.

Throughout the festivities, the guest bartenders will arrive at venues, usually for three-hour shifts demonstrating their world-renowned mixology skills. Each guest appearance will be accompanied by its own special one-off cocktail menu, with all cocktails priced between $20–25 throughout the festival.

Julio Bermejo, creator of the Tommy's Margarita from Tommy's Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco.

For the festival, the hospitality group has enlisted the help of international venues that joined the ranks of The World's 50 Best Bars 2023 and also placed between 50 and 100 on the longlist.

Some of the spots you can look forward to on the lineup include Handshake Speakeasy (number three on the list), plus Argo from Hong Kong, Freni e Frizioni from Rome and Edinburgh's Panda & Sons, all of which landed within the top 35.

Edinburgh's Panda & Sons crew.

Other bars set to feature from across Europe, Asia, North America and South America include Bar Leone, Origin Bar, Trick Dog, Bar Nouveau, A Bar with Shapes for a Name, Dante, Like Minded Creatures, Gucci Guardino and La Punta Expendio de Agave.

Alongside these international appearances, there will also be a celebration of our own top-notch bartenders via The Best of Australia event, featuring members of the Cantina OK!, The Waratah and Bondi Icebergs Dining Room & Bar teams.

Plus, the recently-opened Caterpillar Club will be hosting an official opening afterparty to kick off the festivities on Thursday, April 11 — the only event which will not require an RSVP as it'll operate on a 'first come, first serve' basis.

Rounding out the program is the All-Star Maybe Masterclass where four of the international bars will descend upon Castlereigh Street. Tickets for all other events are free, however this one requires a $30—70 spend to secure a spot.

Head to the Maybe Sammy Cocktail Festival website to check out the full rundown of who will be appearing where and at what time across the jam-packed six days.

The Caterpillar Club

Top image: Maybe Sammy, Steven Woodburn.