“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 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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“After thousands of nominations and votes from across Australia’s hospitality industry, Drinks World unveils the Top 100 Bartenders Australia 2026, recognising the exceptional talent, passion and dedication of the bartenders shaping the country’s vibrant drinks industry.”

“Dine Out has three happy hour trails split between Enmore, Potts Point and the CBD. They’re all good, but the CBD trail packs the biggest punch with eight venues taking part. Several of them are collaborating with other CBD venues to celebrate the width and breadth of the city’s scene. From black truffle Martinis and MSG Margs to half-priced Japanese whiskey and sorbet-spiked Daiquiris, here are the venues taking part in the Dine Out CBD happy hour.”

“Eat popcorn at any Mucho bar and you could find one of five $1000 vouchers to spend at the group’s venues. It’s like Willy Wonka – but with popcorn. Mucho is behind some of our favourite cocktail bars in Sydney, but the team has also won firm fans for its addictive free popcorn. Each bar has its own signature, from Bar Bridge’s nori seasoning to Bar Planet’s curry dust and Centro’s sugar and sumac popcorn.”

“This year the King’s birthday public holiday falls on Monday, June 8. Here are all of the restaurants, bars and cafes staying open to help you make the most of the day.”

“Look, we’re suckers for anything secret or remotely hidden, especially when there are cocktails at the end of the rainbow. While most secluded speakeasies in Sydney/Eora are hardly a secret, some are well-hidden, which means they can be tricky to find, especially in the dark.”

“There are some awesome dining deals in Sydney this month, including $3 oysters at all Boathouse venues all day, every day. I also love the sound of Cantina OK!’s mezcal offer – they’re serving tasting flights with three $10 pours available all month long.”

“For the month of May, the tiny laneway bar Cantina OK! is pouring a rotating trio of small-batch mezcals for $10 a serve – or $30 for all three – pulling bottles from a back bar that’s usually reserved for those willing to spend a lot more. It’s a rare chance to drink through seriously limited agave spirits without committing to a full pour (or a minor financial decision).”

“The laneway revival was about adding a human quality “somewhere to sit, eat or drink, something wonderful to experience””