Seattle Cocktail Week founder Amy Faulkner is doubling down on the “Seattle” in Seattle Cocktail Week this year. The week-long festivities kick off Sunday, March 2 with an Oyster Happy Hour at Vinnie’s Wine Shop in Belltown from 2 p.m-10 p.m., and “Jimmy Jams,” a karaoke and cocktail competition at Belltown Yacht Club, also on Sunday from 7 p.m.-10 p.m.  

Seattle Cocktail Week culminates with the flagship Carnival of Cocktails on from noon to 7 p.m. March 8 at the Seattle Center. In between, Seattle Cocktail Week will host multiple specialty nights at bars and restaurants throughout the region, as well as industry-only events and seminars. 

Carnival of Cocktails: The main event brings the drinks and the fun to Seattle Center on March 8.

Photos courtesy of Gilly Wagon

Faulkner, who operates Seattle Cocktail Week via her Seattle-based events company Gilly Wagon, has increased the number of restaurants and bars participating and has stepped up the promotion for the week-long festivities. She has also created a sponsorship program for emerging and local vendors to participate gratis. In all, seven emerging producers have been selected to participate this year: Copper Cat Distillery, James Bay Distillers, Portland Syrups, Whidbey Island Distillery, Highside Distilling, Olympia Artesian Vodka  and 40 Acres Blending.  

“Part of the big thing that we are wanting to do is support the restaurants that are struggling so much,” Faulkner says. “The biggest thing we want people to do is to go out and check out the restaurants and support them.”  

Faulkner has also been intentional in attracting boutique distilleries and beverage producers to participate after feedback from past participants that the festivities had been overwhelmed by liquor brand behemoths.  

“One of the things I am personally excited about, we have gotten more money to support emerging brands,” Faulkner notes. “Seven brands, they get a scholarship and can participate for free. The little guy gets a seat at the table. They also get to do a talk in Bartender’s Circle Summit (the trade-only seminar).”

Faulkner and company have attracted critically acclaimed bars and bartenders from near and far. This year, Seattle Cocktail Week will have a certain James Beard Awards flavor to it. Two James Beard Award semifinalists (Belltown’s Roquette and all three locations under the Canoe Ventures umbrella — Rob Roy, Navy Strength and Vinnie’s Wine Shop — will participate).  

Scotch Lodge (a Beard semifinalist Outstanding Bar) from Portland, Ore., will be appear as guests at Erik Hakkinen’s Roquette on from 6 p.m.-11 p.m. March 3. Roquette will also host Seattle’s Westland Distillery, Denver’s Yacht Club bar and San Francisco hot dog vendor Trick Dog on from 5 p.m.-11 pm March 5, as well as Jamaican rum producer Worthy Park at 5 p.m. March 6.

“The best part about (Seattle Cocktail Week) is that there some really cool bars that are coming to visit,” Hakkinen says. “The big highlight for us is hosting these other bars and also hosting guests from around here who haven’t found us before.” 

The biggest guest bartending gig might be by the iconic London cocktail bar 🔶🟥🔵 (a bar with shapes for a name). Voted the 35th-best bar in the world by The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy, it is featured at Dreamland Bar & Diner March 6.  

Local mainstays such as W Seattle are also getting in on the action. The W Living Room Bar is featuring a Tiny ‘Tini Tree, or a sampler of three cocktails served in a metal tree for $27. 

Tiny ‘Tini Tree serves up three cocktails in style at W Seattle.

Photo courtesy of W Seattle

“Once you get here you can try three different profiles of cocktails and have that whole experience,” said W Seattle Beverage and Food Director Stephanie Cobbs. “You can enjoy all the visuals, but you have to back it up. We are committed to the quality of the cocktails.” 

She adds that the cocktail menu will change throughout the year.