The countdown is on for the biggest week in the bar industry! Tales of the Cocktail returns to New Orleans July 20 – 25, with bartenders, cocktail brands and beverage professionals descending on the Big Easy for five days of sipping, socializing and setting the stage for what’s next in the spirits world.
This year’s theme is “Evolve,” and Another Round Another Rally is leaning all the way in. From speed-bartending competitions to networking events and fundraising opportunities, here’s where you can catch our team throughout the week:
Speed Rack Season 13 Finals
Sunday 3:00-7:00pm @ Republic NOLA, 828 S Peters St
This high-intensity event features the speediest superstars in the spirits industry! As an added bonus, this all-femme-identifying speed-bartending competition also generates funding for breast cancer research and Another Round Another Rally’s Chris Patino Hero Fund, which helps finance treatments, travel and other expenses affecting bar community members facing cancer. Click here for tickets and come make a difference!
FOH Scholarship Mentorship
If you see one of our Focus On Health scholarship winners in the wild during the festival, give them a hug, a high-five or a well-deserved drink! Meet the Cohort here!
Networking Nook
Monday 12:30-1:30pm @ St Charles, Ritz Carlton
Today’s best bartenders aren’t just slinging drinks – they’re setting the stage for future success by training hard, taking notes and rubbing elbows with top industry talent. Pouring Knowledge unites up-and-coming bar stars with seasoned industry insiders, giving mentors and mentees a chance to swap stories, share strategies and build the future of bartending.
Featured speakers include:
Gregory Canillas, Ph.D, Canillas-King, CEO
Josh Davis, Brown And Balanced, Consultant
Amanda Gunderson, Another Round Another Rally, CEO / Cofounder
Lindsey Johnson, Lush Life, Founder and CEO
Travis Nass, Another Round Another Rally, Cofounder and COO
Inez Goodwine, St. Julep, Bar Lead
Aaron Morris
Monique “Moe” Vaughn
(Included with TOTC Festival Entry Pass, Tasting Pass or Seminar Pass)
Tito’s Shake Up
Monday 2:00-5:00pm @ House of Blues, 225 Decatur Street
Join Tito’s, Turning Tables and Another Round Another Rally at Tito’s Shakeup, an industry event spotlighting the Chris Patino Hero Fund and how it helps bar community members facing cancer when times get tough. Come for the cocktails; stay to support the cause!
Meet Me at Campari
Monday-Wednesday @ Latrobe’s, 403 Royal St
Meet Me at Campari merges all your favorite haunts into one immersive hangout, so stop by Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday for a taste of the spirits you love, the vibes you crave and the collabs you never saw coming. Plus, get a glimpse of Another Round Another Rally’s upcoming programs and partnerships with Campari and a sneak peek at what else is around the corner!
Focus On Health No/Low Tour
Monday 5:00-8:00pm @ Original Nite Cap, 1300 St Bernard Ave.
No buzz? No problem! A great cause and great company go a long way at Original Night Cap’s industry event featuring special guests Trick Dog, with the occasion spotlighting brands and communities carving out names for themselves in the no- and low-proof movement. This is a first-come, first-serve fundraiser, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Another Round Another Rally and its innovative programs and initiatives. Cheers!
Catalyst Ceremony
Tuesday 3:00-5:00pm @ Lafayette East, Ritz Carlton
The Tales Catalyst celebrates spirits industry standouts working hard to enhance accessibility and intersectionality within the drinks industry, and this year’s honorees include Christina Viera and Lucia Creed. Stop by the Ritz-Carlton to hear their stories, celebrate their successes and see why they’re set to leave the spirits world a whole lot better than they found it. While Another Round Another Rally isn’t directly involved in this event, we always jump at the opportunity to support and highlight people in the industry doing great things! Our CEO and former recipient of this honor will be there with the rest of our team to cheer them on!
Included with a seminar pass
Alma Finca Orange Liquor: The Secret to an Authentic Margarita
Wednesday 2:00-5:00pm @ The Garden District Hotel, 1525 Prytania St
Discover the Secret of the Authentic Mexican Margarita in this intimate experience, where the original recipe of this iconic cocktail returns to its roots, through Alma Finca, the vibrant orange liqueur born from the citrus lands of the Yucatán Peninsula. Hosted by Alma Finca brand ambassadors, Nino Gandulla and Mica Rousseau, we celebrate creativity, craftsmanship, and the soulful essence behind the world’s most beloved cocktail. Special Guests will be joining us in this celebration. And Learn more about our Shake That Citrus Competition where Another Round Another Rally will send winners to compete in the Yucatán for a chance to win a BAR 5 Day Scholarship.
RSVP Here Learn more and enter the Shake that Citrus competition here.
Alumni Happy Hour
Wednesday 6:00-8:00pm @ Holy Diver, 1200 St Bernard Ave
If you participated in our Behind the Barrel or Dr. Joy Spence Fellowship programs, this one’s for you! Join us for a special Alumni Happy Hour at Holy Diver, where you’ll hear from Behind the Barrel’s JoAnn Street and Benny Hurwitz with special guest and Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell, and Joy Spence’s Duane Sylvestre with special guest and Deputy Master Blender David Morrison. This one requires an RSVP, so click here now to save your spot!
Patino Fest
Thursday 1:00pm Second line starting @ Jackson Square
Thursday 1:30-3:30pm Celebration of life @ Santo’s Bar, 1135 Decatur Street
Join us in Jackson Square for a Second Line to Santo’s Bar as we celebrate the life and immeasurable impact of the one and only Chris Patino. See the pink-clad volunteers to check in for this 21+ event and support Another Round Another Rally’s Chris Patino Hero Fund, which helps hospitality workers facing cancer.
RSVP Here, or click here to learn more about the fund or donate directly.
Spirited Awards Ceremony
Thursday 6:00-10:30pm @ The Filmore, 6 Canal St
Spend the evening amongst the very best in the bartending business at the 19th Annual Spirited Awards®, the most prestigious celebration in the spirits industry. Held at the iconic Fillmore New Orleans, this 21+ event celebrates excellence across U.S. and international bar culture and awards highly coveted titles, including “Bartender of the Year” and “World’s Best Bar.”
While our team isn’t directly involved in this event, you’ll be sure to find us there cheering on this year’s nominees and winners!
Buy tickets here; valid photo ID required for entry.
The Anti-Cocktail Party
Thursday 10:00pm-2:00am @ The Double Club, 307 Charles St.
Forgo cocktails and spritzes in favor of highballs and boilermakers at this Thursday evening event at The Double Club. Join Saint Benevolence, Worthy Park, Spiribaum and Another Round Another Rally’s Board Chair Kiowa Bryan for this fresh take on a traditional cocktail party. Click here to RSVP!
There’s never been a better time to mix, mingle and make a difference, so stop by any (or all!) of these special events at Tales of the Cocktail and celebrate the best of the spirits industry with us in the Big Easy.