First-of-its-kind cocktail festival will take over bars across Toronto this month
Prepare to raise a glass, Toronto, because a new cocktail festival is making a splash in the city this October.
Sure, happy hours can be fun, but sometimes you just need to add something a little more special to your regular cocktail bar rotation, and a new festival coming to Toronto this month could add just the kick you've been looking for.
After five years of smashing success with its Vancouver Cocktail Festival, The Alchemist Magazine, Canada's leading cocktail and spirits publication, is finally shaking things up in Toronto.
Taking over bars across the city between Oct. 22 and 26, the Toronto Cocktail Festival is a first-of-its-kind festival designed by and for cocktail lovers: the people who sip to savour, not just to knock them back.
The Toronto Cocktail Festival comprises a variety of individual events, taking place at different bars across the city.
On Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., you can embark on a Trinity Bellwoods bar crawl that stops at a few top spots in and around the buzzy neighbourhood: Cry Baby Gallery, Compton Ave. and Bar Mordecai.
At each bar, a distinct cocktail crafted with Empress Gin will be waiting for you.
The following day, it's Little Italy's turn, with a crawl that begins at the award-winning Bar Pompette, followed by Suite 115 and Lonely Diner. This time around, the cocktails revolve around Bearface Whisky, with curated bites to complement them.
If you prefer to park yourself at just one bar for the night, there are also several events taking place throughout the festival that'll allow you to do exactly that.
On Thursday, Oct. 23, Compton Ave. will be home to a "NOLA Night," which brings a little taste of New Orleans to Toronto, with soulful live jazz performances, Louisiana-inspired bites and, of course, exquisite cocktails straight out of the French Quarter.
Since everything tastes better when it's free, you can also visit a free pop-up event held by Milagro Tequila at Suite 115 on Saturday, Oct. 25, with specially crafted margaritas and great music.
The crown jewel of the whole week is a glamorous gala at the Waterworks Event Hall, which will feature 30 (yes, 30) open bar stations serving over 50 different cocktails, bites from the Food Dudes and a live DJ to help you dance the night away.
The gala also offers you an unparalleled opportunity to mix and mingle with leaders in the cocktail and spirits industry, so if rubbing elbows with the creator of your go-to go-go juice is your idea of a good time, this is the night for you.
For those interested in getting into the nitty-gritty of the cocktail business, the festival also features a selection of talks from industry professionals that run the gamut from cocktail masterclasses to seminars.
Tickets to each Toronto Cocktail Festival event can be purchased online through The Alchemist.
Toronto Cocktail Festival runs Oct. 22 to 26, 2025, at various locations across Toronto.
Hector Vasquez at Bar Pompette
