The eighth Lagos Cocktail Week (LCW) edition celebrated and highlighted the extraordinary people and groups “Behind the Bars, Drinks, and Brands.”
The nine-day event culminated with a two-day seminar and grand finale on October 20 and 21, both at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace, Victoria Island. It began on October 14 with an exhilarating Mastercard-sponsored Bar-Hop activity in which cocktail lovers enjoyed distinctive African-infused signature cocktail creations across top bars in Lagos.
The Mastercard-powered seminar and masterclass facilitators gave the in-attendance SME owners and executives the knowledge and tools they needed to ensure the success and scalability of their companies. Dr. Olawale Anifowoshe, Georgie Barnard, Lola Pedro, Kevin Conroy, Bolatito Elizabeth Okolie, and Bayo Ijasan are among the notable figures in the cocktail, bar, and beverage industries worldwide.
During the two-night epic event known as The Cocktail Village, guests sipped on free drinks from partner brands like Absolut Vodka, Ballentine’s, Martell, Olmeca Tequila, Nestle Water, Beefeater Gin, Fayrouz, Desperadoes, Star Radler, Johnnie Walker, Singleton, Captain Morgan & Gordon’s, Whispering Angel, Terrazas, Volcan, Campari, and more.
Along with networking, entertainment included music, games, and the much-anticipated bar fight.
Notably, several female bartenders took part in the bar battle activities this year, which was incredible to see given that Nigeria’s bartending sector is predominately male. Slow Lagos, Noir Lagos, and 355 Lagos were the three restaurants that received cash awards from Mastercard for their inventive cocktails. The sponsoring drink companies also offered cash prizes to the victors of each bar combat competition.
Celebs and influencers such as Toolz, Daniel Etim-Effiong, Diane Russet, Alex Unusual, Noble Igwe, Beverly Osu, Denola Grey, Anto Lecky, Mimi Onalaja, Uriel Oputa, and others were also present in addition to the guests.
Since its debut in 2014, the annual event has grown to be one of West Africa’s most notable occasions, showcasing the art of mixology and Nigeria’s cocktail culture through events, seminars, and training.
