AJABU, Africa’s first bi-annual international cocktail and spirits festival has announced its official line-up of participating bars, community brunches, tasting panels and celebrations set to take place in SA this March – and it’s bound to stir up a storm.
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Curated by Colin Asare Appiah (Bar World 100 Most Influential Figures 2023 and co-author of Black Mixcellence) and Mark Talbot Holmes (founder of multiple award-winning U’Luvka Vodka), AJABU aims to become Africa’s leading spirits and cocktail festival.
Popping up in Johannesburg from 10 to 13 March and Cape Town from 14 to 17 March, the inaugural festival will not only connect the hospitality industry and their community across Africa and beyond, but it will also inspire innovation, collaboration and creativity, while celebrating the continent’s incredible diversity of people, ingredients and beverages.
The festival will include bartenders from internationally acclaimed bars including Allegory (Washington DC), Front/Back (Accra), Hero Bar (Nairobi), Rayo (Mexico City), Sweet Liberty (Miami) and Trailer Happiness (London).
These global bars will each collaborate with the following outstanding local bars to deliver exquisite cocktail experiences over two nights: A Streetbar Named Desire, Benchwarmers, Saint, Sintax and Smoking Kills in Johannesburg, and Cause Effect, Fable, Talking to Strangers, The Drinkery, The House of Machines and Tjing Tjing in Cape Town.
‘We’re incredibly excited to be bringing the teams from such world-acclaimed bars to South Africa, who will work alongside equally outstanding local establishments for this series of innovative industry events,’ says Asare Appiah.
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Tickets for the festival are complimentary, however registration is required as space is limited. In addition to a series of Community Brunches and Tasting Tables, AJABU will host a line-up of special events in each city.
In Cape Town, renowned rum ambassador and IWSC Spirits Communicator of the Year 2023, Ian Burrell, will host a masterclass. The local and global bar communities will also gather to celebrate the 50th birthday of AJABU partner and industry legend, Kurt Schlechter.
Both Johannesburg and Cape Town will host dedicated seminars for the South African launch of Pernod Ricard’s SIP – an upskilling and educational programme.
Here, in community-building groups, attendees will discuss themes such as menu design and storytelling, seasonal ingredients, cocktail trends, and techniques and technology.
Charlotte Voisey, Global Head of Ambassadors with William Grant and Sons, will be in attendance and will be supporting the activities at the festival.
Registration for tickets for the festival is available to book via Quicket here. AJABU will host another week-long event across both cities in November, in partnership with Cape Town Beverage Show.
For more information, please visit ajabufestival.com.
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Picture: Supplied
