Cocktail week returns, promises more culture, festival experience

West Africa’s largest and most anticipated cocktail event, Lagos Cocktail Week (LCW), is back for its eighth edition.

The nine-day event, which started October 14, ends 22, and it promises an even more impressive lineup for its traditional seminars, master classes, bar battles, an elite guest-speaker list, and some of the world’s most renowned drink brands.

At a media briefing to announce the event, LCW sponsors and stakeholders were in attendance, including the Director, Area Marketing, Mastercard, Yosola Atere; Director, Creative Sets Department, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Bisi Omojare; Brand Manager, Martell, Elizabeth Anthony; Brand Manager, Star Radler, Chiamaka Efelu; Brand Ambassador, Diageo Reserve, Tinya Alonge; Product Manager, Moet Hennessy, Ijeuru Metu and Founder, Her Network, Nkem Onwudiwe.

Founder, Lagos Cocktail Week and award-winning mixologist, Lara Rawa, stated that the theme for this year is “Behind the Bars, Drinks and Brands,” adding that the inspiration behind the theme is to celebrate the individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to deliver a great hospitality experience through their craft. These individuals include bartenders, mixologists, and brand managers at drinks companies.

She also mentioned that the participating bars in the bar-hop aspect of the event, which is sponsored by MasterCard, would serve attendees unique African-infused signature cocktail creations throughout the duration of the event.

Furthermore, Rawa also highlighted that this year’s festival will feature more female bartenders than ever, and will focus on highlighting women in this industry. “I believe that this is a step towards making the cocktail industry more inclusive and welcoming to all,” she said.