For cocktail lovers, today is a big day: the Official Drink of Austin 2018 kicks off at 7pm at the Fairmont. This fundraiser for culinary grants hosted by the Austin Food & Wine Alliance showcases Austin's bartending community with a cocktail competition and tasting, dubbing one of the contestants—ATX Cocina, Backbeat, Fulton, Garage Cocktail Bar, Juniper, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, Nickel City and Odd Duck—the ultimate winner. Fixe and Central Standard are among the 16 restaurants and bars providing bites and sips, and you can work it all off by dancing to a live DJ. Take note: Tickets are sold out online but you can still buy them at the door.
Does neon give you all the feels? Stop by the Preacher Gallery from 6 to 9pm tonight for "Lost in the Supermarket: Artifacts from a Forgotten Culture." Evan Voyles, aka @theneonjungle, has crafted some of Austin's most iconic neon signs and art pieces, and his gallery is guaranteed to be a blinking, blinding feast for the eyes. Enjoy cocktails from Frank, coffee from Little Brother and live music.
One of 2018's most anticipated restaurants has opened in the form of Sour Duck Market, an all-day café and market from the team behind Odd Duck. It's still in soft opening, but you'd be wise to stop by in the morning for pastries, the afternoon for a burger on their patio, or the evening for cocktails at their back bar.