Australia’s biggest international cocktail festival has upscaled for 2024

The Maybe Cocktail Festival is returning to Sydney for the second time next month following its successful 2023 launch. The event will run over six days from April 9 to April 14 and will feature significantly more events and bartenders due to public demand. 

“Last year we held 16 events and they were all packed so this year we’ve curated extra events and flown out even more international bars and bartenders,” said Stefano Catino, Maybe Cocktail Festival Director and Director of Hospitality at PUBLIC. PUBLIC successfully acquired The Maybe Group, the team behind Maybe Sammy, in April last year.

With some of the world’s most revered venues partaking in the festival including 12 from the The World’s 50 Best Bars list, the Maybe Cocktail Festival presents an invaluable opportunity to experience the world’s finest mixed drinks without having to leave the country. Each visiting international  bartender will work a guest shift in one of the 11 participating Sydney venues where they will offer three to four cocktails between $20-$25. 

“19 of the 21 events are free to attend which is very important to us,” said Catino.

“The cost of living is high and it’s very expensive for Australians to travel overseas so this festival will give people the opportunity to drink cocktails from an amazing bar in Rome or try a Tommy’s Margarita from the gentleman who created it, without the cost of a plane ticket.”

The participating host venues include Maybe Sammy, Dean & Nancy on 22, Sammy Junior, El Primo Sanchez, Lady Hampshire, Busby’s, Oxford House Pool Bar, Ricos Tacos, Alpha, Beta, and Kasbah at The Strand.

In support of its international focus, the Maybe Cocktail Festival will also champion bartenders from 16 of Australia’s leading bars. Included in this list is Cantina OK!, Apollonia and The Waratah who will take part in the Best of Australia event on 14 April 3 – 5pm. 

The two paid events include the All Star Masterclass, an exclusive six-hour opportunity to learn from, and network with, some of the cocktail world’s leading personas and brands; and the Bartender’s Brunch, a final chance to indulge in a bottomless brunch with the bartender’s as a way to wrap up the Festival.

More information and the full Maybe Cocktail Festival schedule can be viewed here.