The world-renowned cocktail conference returns to New Orleans July 19–24, 2026, bringing together the global drinks community for a week of educational sessions, curated tastings, industry awards, and unforgettable experiences.
NEW ORLEANS, LA (May 13, 2026) — Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is pleased to announce that tickets for the 24th annual Tales of the Cocktail 2026 are now on sale. Returning to The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans from July 19–24, 2026, this year’s conference will welcome the global drinks community back to New Orleans for a week of education, tastings, networking, celebrations, and industry-defining conversations inspired by the theme, Spark — a celebration of the moments, ideas, and connections that ignite progress across the global drinks industry.
Daily and weekly passes, discounted bartender passes, and cocktail tour tickets will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis. A Festival Entry Pass, included with all ticket purchases or available separately, is required to attend Tales of the Cocktail events. Complete details about TOTC2026 ticket options can be accessed on the official Tales’ ticketing website.
“Each year, Tales of the Cocktail creates space for our global community to learn from one another, celebrate excellence, and shape what comes next,” said Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. “Spark is about the energy that moves our industry forward, whether that comes from innovation, collaboration, mentorship, or bold new ideas. We are excited to welcome the world back to New Orleans for another unforgettable year.”
For nearly a quarter century, Tales of the Cocktail has celebrated New Orleans’ legendary cocktail culture while spotlighting the global people, places, and ideas shaping the future of drinks. The 2026 conference continues that legacy through a dynamic mix of educational seminars, Beyond the Bar experiences, brand-led events, the Spirited Awards®, Tales Catalyst, Meet the Distillers, and much more.
Educational Seminars, Panels, Q&A Sessions, and More
At the heart of Tales of the Cocktail 2026 is an expansive education slate featuring more than 60 seminars, workshops, tastings, and networking opportunities. Selected from 350 proposals through a competitive process led by the Tales of the Cocktail Education Advisory Committee that took hundreds of hours to review, the 2026 seminar lineup reflects the evolving priorities, challenges, and opportunities shaping hospitality today.
More than 100 presenters representing 20 countries will take part in this year’s conference, bringing perspectives spanning spirits production, bar ownership, culinary innovation, community-driven advocacy, emerging technology, no- and low-ABV innovation, and more. The lineup includes 58 female presenters, 53 BIPOC presenters, and 43 international presenters, reflecting Tales’ continued commitment to elevating diverse voices across the hospitality industry.
Highlights from this year’s seminar schedule include:
Business
- The Hi-Lo Craze! How Nostalgia & Indulgence Are Shaping Bar Menus
- Sleeping Giants: How Legacy Hotels Will Transform Global Hospitality
- Re-thinking Bars: How Design Impacts Success
- Beyond Moderation: A Creative and Commercial Re-Think of No & Low
- C-Suite for Cocktailians and Hospitality Workers
- The MICHELIN Guide Effect: Learnings from MICHELIN Starred Restaurants
Culture
- Enzymes 101: Using Science to Hack Your Cocktails
- Talk Dirty to Me: The Rise of Extra Dirty, Savory Cocktails
- A Neuroscientist, a Flavor Chemist, a Chef, and a Distiller Walk Into a Bar
- Modern Mixology: Centrifuge Techniques Unlocked
- Holy Spirits: The Spiritual Lives of Clairin & Agave
- The Psychology Behind Today’s Hospitality Industry Trends
- A New Deliciousness: South East Asia’s Growing Bar Scene
- Baby, It’s Cold Out There: Coldest Climates Forge the Biggest Flavours
- Molecules of Maturity: The Chemistry of Flavor in Aged Spirits
Beyond the Bar
- Doing Good in the Neighborhood
- Why Hospitality Is Losing Connection and How We Rebuild It
- Flavors of Immigration
- Principled Ownership: Community-Minded Programs in Bars
- Resilience in Real Time: Building Community Through Crisis
- Dyslexics Untie/UNITE! How Neurodivergent Teams Thrive!
Futures Lab
- Leading for 2036: Designing the Future of Hospitality Leadership
- The Future of Hospitality: One Small Step for (Wo)Mankind
- Pouring Power: Spirits Advocacy in the Fourth Industrial Revolution
- The Future of Social Fitness: Bars, the Gyms Our Social Muscles Need
- Future of Experience: Psychological Design for Next Era Hospitality
- Creativity vs Code: Is Data Killing Joy and Whimsy in Hospitality?
This year’s programming places a strong emphasis on the themes defining the next era of drinks culture, including technical innovation, community building, leadership development, and the future of guest experience. Hands-on workshops will explore everything from enzymes, botanicals, centrifuge techniques, texture, and highballs to the science and psychology behind how drinks are built and experienced.
Beyond technical skill-building, 2026 programming also creates space through the Beyond the Bar track for deeper conversations around inclusivity, ownership, and connection with sessions like Flavors of Immigration, Principled Ownership: Community-Minded Programs in Bars, and Why Hospitality Is Losing Connection and How We Rebuild It.
Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP)
The Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP), one of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s premier mentorship initiatives, returns for its 19th year in 2026. Since launching in 2008, the program has mentored more than 600 hospitality professionals from over 30 countries, helping foster the next generation of global bar talent through hands-on education, mentorship, and community-building.
This year’s class includes 40 first-time apprentices, known as Red Coats, who support cocktail preparation, service, and event execution throughout Tales of the Cocktail. Working alongside industry leaders and returning Grey Coat mentors, apprentices gain hands-on experience in high-volume hospitality environments while building technical skills, leadership experience, and global industry connections.
Marquee Programming: Brand-Hosted Events, Meet the Distillers, New Orleans Spirits Competition, Spirited Awards®, Tales Catalyst, New Orleans Cocktail Tours, and Speed Rack.
- Brand Hosted Events: TOTCF’s brand partners return to New Orleans with a vibrant lineup of immersive celebrations, unforgettable parties, and dynamic activations taking place across the city and at the host hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. Showcasing the creativity, innovation, and hospitality of some of the world’s leading beverage brands, Tales of the Cocktail 2026 will feature more than 300 brand events spanning Tasting Rooms, Happy Hours, Guest Shifts, daytime experiences, and headline evening events. Spirited Dining & Drinking experiences will further connect guests to New Orleans’ iconic culinary and cocktail culture, with partner brands pairing local talent and acclaimed bartenders from around the globe.
- Meet The Distillers: TOTCF’s signature tasting, Meet the Distillers (MTD), offers guests an up close and personal experience with their favorite spirits brands. Attendees will taste samples, meet the makers, and get a firsthand account from more than 20 distilleries from across the globe. This year, MTD will be held on Thursday, July 23 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:00 – 5:00 PM and is available to all with a Tasting Room wristband.
- New Orleans Spirits Competition (NOSC): The New Orleans Spirits Competition, an international spirits competition bringing wider recognition to fine spirits from top-flight producers across the globe, is presented in partnership with TOTCF, with nearly three dozen prominent members of the spirits community serving as judges to determine a suite of awards categories, including Double Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals, Best of Category, Whiskey of the Year, Brandy of the Year, Gin of the Year, Baijiu of the Year, Vodka of the Year, Agave Spirit of the Year, Specialty Spirit of the Year, Liqueur of the Year, Best New Product, Best Craft Spirit, Packaging Excellence, and Distillery of the Year.
- Spirited Awards®: Established in 2007, the Spirited Awards remains one of the most prestigious global honors programs in the drinks industry, recognizing individuals, establishments, products, media, and leaders shaping cocktail culture worldwide. Guests are invited to dress to impress, raise a glass, and celebrate the 20th annual Spirited Awards winners at the Fillmore Theater in New Orleans on Thursday, July 23, for an unforgettable evening.
- Tales Catalyst: Tales Catalyst will take place on Tuesday, July 21, honoring this year’s Tales Catalyst Honorees, Kapri Robinson, U.S. Catalyst Honoree, and Anna Sebastian, International Catalyst Honoree. Celebrating leaders who are breaking barriers and championing inclusivity across the global beverage community, the ceremony is one of the week’s most meaningful and uplifting events. Included with the Seminar + Tasting Week Pass, attendees are invited to gather for an inspiring evening of recognition, powerful remarks, and refreshments as we celebrate those helping shape a more equitable future for the industry.
- Kapri Robinson — President & Founder of Chocolate City’s Best, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentorship, education, and career advancement for Black and Brown hospitality professionals. Robinson is also a nationally recognized bartender, educator, and advocate who was named Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards® Bartender of the Year in 2024.
- Anna Sebastian — Founder of Anna Sebastian Hospitality and Celebrate Her, a global nonprofit community supporting women in the drinks industry across 57 countries. Sebastian is recognized for her leadership in luxury hospitality, mentorship, and advocacy for greater equity and visibility within the global bar community.
- New Orleans Cocktail Tours: Guests can explore the city’s legendary cocktail history through immersive guided tours celebrating the people, places, and drinks that helped define New Orleans as a global cocktail capital. Tours for Tales of the Cocktail 2026 include, The Big Gay Bar Tour, Bourbon Street and How It Got That Way, Brandy/Bourbon/Bitters/Ice, and Louche: The French Quarter Absinthe Tour.
- Speed Rack: Speed Rack returns to kick off the week with the Season 14 Finals of the all-femme speed bartending competition that raises funds in support of the fight against breast cancer. Guests are invited to cheer on regional champions as they stir, shake, and strain through fast-paced timed challenges, each competing for the title of Speed Rack National Champion. One hundred percent of event proceeds benefit breast cancer education, prevention, and research. Tickets will be available for purchase separately, from https://www.speed-rack.com/.
A special thanks…
Tales Partners
TOTCF would like to recognize the generous partners who help bring a premier experience to New Orleans and beyond. TOTCF is pleased to present the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation 2026 Medallion Tier Partners: Brown-Forman, DIAGEO, Pernod Ricard, and William Grant & Sons; and Diamond Tier Partner: BACARDÍ; and Platinum Partners: Campari, Luxco, Maison Ferrand, Proximo, Sazerac, and Suntory Global Spirits; as well as our Official Water Partner: Topo Chico.
Tales Media Partners
TOTCF is proud to partner with esteemed media outlets to share the stories of our beloved cocktail community. This year, Tales is pleased to partner with Bartender Magazine, Food & Wine, Imbibe, Pre Shift, Shake Stir & Mingle, The Spill, The Times-Picayune, and Thirsty Magazine.
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About Tales of the Cocktail Foundation:
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the global hospitality industry through education, advocacy, and community support. As the world’s leading spirits education platform, the Foundation provides year-round programs and initiatives that foster professional growth and drive meaningful change. Each July, the industry gathers in New Orleans, the beating heart of cocktail culture and hospitality, for a one-of-a-kind conference that blends education, networking, and celebration like no other. Guided by its core pillars—Educate, Advance, and Support—the Foundation’s impact extends far beyond the U.S., reaching professionals and communities around the world. Tales of the Cocktail will take place in New Orleans July 19-24, 2026. #totc2026
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