Hanna Lee Communications (HLC), an award-winning multimedia PR/marketing agency specializing in hospitality and luxury travel, announces the first-ever New York Bartender Week, which will take place on November 18-24, 2024. It celebrates storytelling as the common thread that ties the drinks community together to showcase the compelling narratives of its people, products and places.
The annual “Bartender Week” initiative will expand to other cities in the U.S., as well as globally,
with localized activations in 2025 as part of Worldwide Bartender Week.
New York Bartender Week, part consumer festival, part tourism initiative and part educational
trade/media symposium, salutes and honors bartenders, bar backs, bar/restaurant owners and
hoteliers in New York City and across New York State.
Dedicated to celebrating the art of bartending and the unique flavors of the Empire State, it
spurs the bar community and cocktail enthusiasts to support local businesses and showcase
their rich culinary and drinks heritage.
For the Trade & Media:
Gala Event Kickoff - Monday, November 18, 2024
- New York Bartender Week will kick off with a memorable gala event, featuring top bars from New York City, New York State and around the globe.
- This exclusive invitation-only gathering will showcase the best of the bartending world, setting the stage for a historic week. Each participating bar will serve cocktails celebrating New York State to our esteemed guests.
A Day of Media & Trade Panels and Seminars Focusing on the Future - Wednesday, November 20, 2024
- During the festive week, we will host a full day of exclusive ticketed seminars and
panels led by both prominent journalists and industry experts.
- These thought-provoking discussions will probe the future of the bar industry, the central role of tourism for New York City and New York State, as well as the rise of the state’s spirits and beverages. Attendees will include bar professionals, hospitality experts, travel industry professionals and working journalists.
“Excellence in Storytelling Awards” - Sunday, November 24, 2024
- Trade & Industry
- New York Bartender Week will culminate with the “Excellence in Storytelling Awards” ceremony. These awards invite bartenders, bar backs, bar/restaurant owners and hoteliers to share their personal stories of perseverance and triumph.
- Short essays will highlight how they became part of the drinks world and the positive impact they have made on others.
- A panel of acclaimed journalists will judge these narratives for their inspirational power, with the finalists announced on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
- Award Categories
- Best Bartender Story
- Best Bar Back Story
- Best Bar Owner Story
- Best Bar Chef Story
- Best Bar General Manager Story
- Best Restaurant Owner Story
- Best Beverage Director Story
- Best Hotelier Story
- Best Hotel General Manager Story
- Best Hotel F&B Director Story
“To celebrate our agency’s 20th anniversary, as proud New Yorkers we decided to launch New York Bartender Week to show our love for our city and state,” says Hanna Lee, President & Founder, Hanna Lee Communications. “This annual event will inspire New Yorkers and visitors alike to expand their travel destinations and explore the amazing hospitality scene across all of New York State. We will also encourage consumers to visit their favorite local bars and support their beloved bartenders and bar teams. Our mission is to bring bars, tourism and economic development together to spotlight our wonderful state and the people who make it special. It is also to salute bartending as a noble career path and celebrate its craft.”
“We believe everyone has a story worthy of sharing,” says Michael Anstendig, Editor in Chief, Hanna Lee Communications and co-author of the award-winning book, The Japanese Art of the Cocktail. “Whether the personalities behind the bar, producers of fine spirits or owners of bars, restaurants and hotels, their narratives are moving and motivating. Through our ‘Excellence in Storytelling Awards,’ we want to acknowledge those who make our community so much more spirited and vital. We will also salute the incredible work of journalists who cover our industry and bring these compelling sagas to the wider general public. We are excited to leverage New York Bartender Week as a platform to shine a light on the people behind these incredible stories.”
Worldwide Bartender Week: Expanding Nationally and Globally in 2025
New York Bartender Week will expand to other U.S. cities and globally in 2025. Hanna Lee Communications will share the programming of New York Bartender Week, including the week-long consumer promotion, educational symposium and “Excellence in Storytelling Awards.”
Together with these local and global partners, the mission is to spur tourism and local economic
development, as well as raise a glass to bartending as a profession.
U.S. national and Worldwide Bartender Week confirmed partners include:
U.S.
- D.C. Bartender Week - Deke Dunne, Allegory (Washington, D.C.)
- Knoxville Bartender Week - Jessica King & Aaron Thompson, Brother Wolf (Knoxville, Tenn.)
- New Mexico Bartender Week - Kate Gerwin, Happy Accidents (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Global
- Colombia Bartender Week - Jean Trinh, Alquímico (Cartagena, Colombia)
- India Bartender Week - Yangdup Lama & Minakshi Singh, Sidecar (New Delhi,
India)
Kenya Bartender Week - Richie Barrow & Kelvin Thairu, Hero (Nairobi, Kenya)
Philippines Bartender Week - Richie Cruz, a bar consultant and an HLC Global
Bartender Scholarship recipient (Manila, Philippines)
Others in progress
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