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New York’s first-ever Bartender Week will debut this November

Experience delicious beverages and culinary storytelling from those in the NY bar community.

Emma Pilkington
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Emma Pilkington
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Bar Louise
Photograph: Max Flatow | Bar Louise
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There are over 2,000 bars in NYC that fuel the city’s nightlife. And drinking—whether that be alcoholic beverages or not— is a universal language that brings people from all walks of life together. Hanna Lee Communications (HLC), an award-winning multimedia PR and marketing agency, wants to honor that in the first-ever “New York Bartender Week.” 

This fall, from November 18 to 24, NY Bartender Week will spotlight the bar community, stretching from NYC to the larger state area. How? Through storytelling. HLC says that storytelling catalyzes social connection and can bring people in the drinks community together. Through this engagement, HLC says NY Bartender Week celebrates the art of bartending and encourages tourism and economic development. 

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Whether you are a cocktail enthusiast or someone who just wants to check out and support local bars, NY Bartender Week may give you a chance to connect with the city through culinary storytelling. To sum it up, the week is a combination of a consumer festival, a tourism initiative and a media symposium.

Other events include a gala event to kick off the week and ticketed panels and seminars that unpack the past, present, and future of the bar industry. There will also be the Excellence in Storytelling Awards that invites bartenders, bar restaurant owners, bar backs, and hoteliers (among others) to share a story of triumph and perseverance, with the chance to win a prestigious award. 

Photograph of New York Bartender Week Founders Michael Anstendig and Hanna Lee
Photograph: Courtesy of Hanna Lee Communications

“To celebrate our agency’s 20th anniversary, as proud New Yorkers we decided to launch New York Bartender Week to show our love for our city and state,” says Hanna Lee, President & Founder, Hanna Lee Communications, in a press release. “This annual event will inspire New Yorkers and visitors alike to expand their travel destinations and explore the amazing hospitality scene across all of New York State. We will also encourage consumers to visit their favorite local bars and support their beloved bartenders and bar teams. Our mission is to bring bars, tourism and economic development together to spotlight our wonderful state and the people who make it special. It is also to salute bartending as a noble career path and celebrate its craft.” 

The New York Bartender Week is part of a larger initiative to expand the event to cities across the U.S. and the world in 2025. Keep your eyes peeled for D.C., Knoxville, and New Mexico Bartender Week, as well as Colombia, Kenya, and the Philippines.

In the meantime, you can show up and show out to your local bars and support the industry that keeps New York City so alive!

Visit hannaleecommunications.com to keep abreast about the Week’s events. 

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