I’ve only ever been to a couple of festivals. The thought of camping (or glamping for that matter) fills me with dread – I can cope with bad showers, and smelly tents. The mud holds no worries for me. I can even cope with the fact that I can’t find a pair of jeans that fit me for love or money, and probably spend the weekend in leggings and comfy dresses.
What I can’t cope with is twofold:
1. I am like a giant magnet for bugs that bite. If you ever want to avoid being bitten, hang around near me. They’ll eat me instead.
2. Portaloos. OK for day one, I can cope. Day two three and four? No. No thank you. Get me sparkling clean porcelain loo with a flush and a sink and loo paper. Thank you.
But here is a festival I can get behind. Monday sees the launch of Manchester Loves Cocktails. A week of discount cocktails, and booze themed events hosted by your favourite bars across the city.
And getting involved is easy. Buy a wristband, peruse the guide, see what you fancy sampling or going to, and book on it. The wristband guarantees you both access to the events and to discount cocktails.
Yes, I said discount cocktails. The £10 wristband also guarantees you cocktails specially created for the week for £4.50 each.
Bargain.
The week is the baby of Nick Fox. He spent most of his career working in bars in Leeds (and in Manchester) and would visit London Cocktail Week in October. However, as anyone who had visited the big smoke knows, it’s a bit of an expensive trip. Trains, hotels, food – it all mounts up, especially on a bartenders wage. To combat this he created Leeds Loves Cocktails, a week of cocktail events for both bartenders and the public, with good drinking at it’s heart. That was back in 2013, and now he wants to bring it to Manchester, encouraging drinkers to drink better, not more.
Something you’ll know has my full support.
As we sampled a selection of cocktails in Cane & Grain (including an incredible Ramos Gin Fizz courtesy of Patrick – highly recommended but please don’t ask for one at the weekend, as they take forever to make properly and I’ll get in trouble), Nick talked to us about the brands involved, the cocktails and events. From a night of sake at Cottonopolis, to a little salty fun with Montelobos Mezcal (reviewed recently), over at Luck Lust Liquor & Burn, there’s something for everyone, whatever your spirit of choice.
My personal grumble? I can’t get to everything I want to. There are a bunch of bars that I love involved, and as usual my diary says no. So I’ll be frantically trying to squeeze anything I can in to my day. Hell, I’ve even turned a business meeting next week into an excuse for gin.
I just may not have told everyone else attending.
For a full list of bars taking part, click here.
For a full list of booze brands taking part, click here.
