Well, if today’s 27*C weather wasn’t a sign to start mixing and drinking more patio-side cocktails, I’m not sure what is. Oh wait,  The Art of the Cocktail arrives in Calgary this weekend! Perfect timing!

This two day celebration of my favourite kind of beverage - the cocktail - kicks off with the Grand Tasting on May 2nd at the University of Calgary Downtown Campus. The name of the game is ‘Gin, Bourbon, Rye – oh my!‘ and it is promising to be a great way to try out new spirits that you can incorporate into your home bar.

VIP tickets are only $60 (+GST) and get access to the tasting for a whole hour before the general admission ticket-holders are allowed in. Don’t worry about tokens – you can sample and taste away without them. If you are just interested in checking out the Grand Tasting and aren’t looking for the VIP treatment, purchase a regular ticket for $40 (+GST) and get your cocktail on. Or you could enter my giveaway below for free tickets and more…

May 3rd kicks off with some killer seminars that promise to be a fantastic treat for avid and aspiring home bartenders. Creating Your Home Bar with Jesse Willis is a crash course where you’ll learn everything you need to know about stocking up on home bar essentials so you’ll be ready to whip a tasty cocktail. You’ll also learn about what kind of equipment you’ll need to have on hand that every bartender swears by. Some of the items in my giveaway will be perfect for filling up your bar cart.

Enjoy creating your own one-of-a-kind cocktails at the Bespoke Cocktails seminar with Midnight Rambler’s Chad Solomon. Discover how you can pair flavours together to create pleasing and delicious concoctions. Time to get experimental!

The last seminar of the day initiates you into the world of brown spirits –Bourbon, Rye, The Whiskeys – Oh My! Learn all about the taste profiles of these delightful spirits and what kind of cocktails work best for each one.

➔ ART OF THE COCKTAIL BAR CART ESSENTIALS GIVEAWAY! 

What you get:

• 2 VIP Grand Tasting Tickets for May 2nd
• Porter’s Tonic
• Grapefruit Bitters
• Tiki Bitters
• Assorted Bar Equipment (muddler, jigger and julep strainer)

How to enter:

• Leave a comment here telling me what your favourite cocktail to make at home is!
• For an extra entry, follow me at @kaitkucy and @ArtofCocktail on Twitter and leave another comment here saying that you did!
• For an EXTRA entry, follow me @kaitkucy on Instagram and leave another comment saying that you did.
• The giveaway ends on Thursday April 30 at 12pm MST. Open to Calgary residents only! Good luck!