“The Australian drinks industry has a busy spring ahead, with a packed calendar of trade tastings, educational sessions, awards, festivals and industry campaigns. From major free trade tastings to scholarships and competition entry deadlines, here are some of the key upcoming opportunities in the Australian drinks calendar.”

“Spring is here, and Sydney is making the most of it. From colourful kites soaring over Bondi to world-class theatre and major art exhibitions, there’s plenty to get out and enjoy this weekend. Culture vultures have plenty to get excited about this weekend, with the Sydney Fringe Festival bringing its wonderfully eclectic mix of comedy, music and visual arts to venues across the city. In theatre headlines, My Fair Lady opens at the Sydney Opera House this week, celebrating 70 years since its Broadway debut. CURRENT by Sydney Dance Company also continues its run, whereas Velvet Inferno comes to a close on Sunday.”

“The 15 best underground  bars in Sydney lead from hidden stairways to sandstone cellars,  whisky dens,  tequila rooms and late-night cocktail bars. Sydney is a city that often seems to prefer its nightlife above ground. There are harbour terraces catching the last light, rooftop bars looking towards the towers and beachside tables where the evening arrives with the tide.”

“The finalists in the pub categories of the 2026 Australian Liquor Industry Awards (ALIA) are now revealed following a record number of votes being cast for this year’s awards. The process for naming the ALIA winners comes in two stages. Firstly, we ask the industry to vote for their favourite people, places and products across all the award categories – this gives us the finalists that are listed below. For the second phase of the process we send these finalists to our judging panel who will choose their top three in each category to give us our winners – subject to those votes being audited by Quantaco.”

“The votes have been cast, counted and sorted and so now we can reveal the finalists in the 2026 Australian Liquor Industry Awards. Once again a huge thanks goes to all those who voted for the favourite people, places and products to give us the finalists for this year’s awards. The Australian hospitality industry’s night of nights takes place at The Fullerton Sydney on Wednesday, 28 October.”

“Taste your way through the MUCHO Tequila and Mezcal Festival. MUCHO Tequila & Mezcal Festival returns to Centro 86 on Sunday 13 September, bringing together more than 30 producers from across Mexico for an afternoon dedicated to tequila, mezcal and the wider world of agave. It’s put together by the team behind Centro 86’s tequila back bar and Cantina OK!’s mezcal program, with standout names on the lineup including Herradura, Cascahuín, Los Siete Misterios and La Venenosa.”

“The votes have been cast, counted and sorted and so now we can reveal the finalists in the 2026 Australian Liquor Industry Awards. Once again a huge thanks goes to all those who voted for the favourite people, places and products to give us the finalists for this year’s awards. The Australian hospitality industry’s night of nights takes place at The Fullerton Sydney on Wednesday, 28 October.”

“Newtown's Bar Planet loves having fun with its inner-west neighbours. From exclusive cocktails starring ingredients from nearby businesses to nail and tattoo pop-ups, you can count on something creative happening at the psychedelic martini bar. This Saturday, August 30, Bar Planet is serving its martinis with another twist. This time, it's a witchy one (although the usual lemon twists are also on hand).”

“Sarah The Psychic Is Bringing A Tarot Reading Pop-Up To Newtown. Inner West tarot reader Sarah the Psychic is taking over Bar Planet for one afternoon only, swapping the usual bar chat for a little divine guidance. From 3pm to 5pm on Sunday 30 August, guests can sip on the bar’s signature martini master stock while getting a read on what the cards have in store.”

“2026 is serving a massive lineup of events and activities in Sydney/Eora to keep your calendar absolutely loaded. Expect a jam-packed August in Sydney with heaps of food-filled experiences, unique events, moonlit movie nights, and a banging roster of entertainment.”

“The Australian Bartender Top 100 Most Influential List is back for 2026, recognising the people having an impact across Australia’s bar industry right now, with Spirits Academy joining as this year’s official sponsor. Held every two years, the Top 100 brings together the bartenders, bar owners, operators, managers, brand ambassadors, and industry figures helping shape Australia’s bar scene and culture.”

“One of Sydney’s most intimate bars, Cantina OK! proves good things come in small packages. Specialising in small-batch mezcal, it’s all about classic cocktails and margaritas. With space for only two bartenders, you might have to be patient, but the hand-shaven ice and hand-pressed limes make it well worth the wait.”

“Drink trends August 2026 show beverage innovation moving towards experiential serves, mainstream functionality and bolder QSR flavours. From guava sgroppinos to prebiotic soft drinks and Red Bull-infused mocktails, brands and operators are taking familiar formats and making them more distinctive, visual and occasion-led.”

“A restaurant championing Aussie produce, a bar serving Margaritas in every shape and form, a Vietnamese cafe-meets-wine-bar hybrid and more have all joined the Hot List recently.”

“From micro mezcal den Cantina OK! to new suburb gems like Meadow in Cronulla, these are the best bars in Sydney right now. Sydney’s best bars range from micro mezcal mecca Cantina OK! to subterranean CBD wine bar Letra House and prohibition cocktail haunt Palmer & Co. Add boundary-pushing newcomers like Super 44 in Enmore and Cronulla’s Meadow, and you have a scene worth working through. Curated by Sitchu’s editors, this ever-evolving edit points you where to sip, whether you’re after gin, jazz or both.”

“Today is World Tequila Day, and if you’ve only ever experienced tequila in a Margarita, Mucho Group is offering the perfect excuse to dig a little deeper. Across Super 44, Cantina OK!, Centro 86 and Tio’s, the group has assembled what it believes is Australia’s most diverse collection of agave spirits. And if all that talk of tequila leaves you inspired, we’ve also included a recipe created by Jeremy Blackmore Creative Director of Mucho Group at the end of this story.”

“With a name like Dine Out, you might be forgiven for thinking that Broadsheet’s winter festival is all about eating, but this year’s Sydney program has worked its way into plenty of the city’s hottest bars. We tapped 17 bars across the city to create a special one-off deal for the duration of the festival, from July 27 to August 2. Some venues offer substantial discounts, and others will serve meals that pair their venue’s most popular drinks with serious snacks. Here’s what’s happening around town.”

“Face time with the country’s top mixologists and bar managers, at venues ranging from Sydney’s Maybe Sammy to Melbournian go-to Gimlet, reveals why epicures are opting for fresher, lower ABV serves — bonus points if they can be recreated at home.”

“Enmore Road’s newest cocktail bar, Super 44, debuted on 26 June,  brought to you by Mucho Group. You may recognise Mucho from sister venue Bar Planet, just a minute up the road, Centro86 in Martin Place, or their other new venue Bar Bridge, tucked away near Circular Quay. Super 44 takes the place of Midnight Special, which closed its doors in September of last year.”

“Ahead of World Tequila Day on Friday 24 July, Mucho Group is drawing attention to what it believes to be Australia’s most diverse tequila and mezcal selection across its four agave-driven cocktail bars in Sydney.”