The Bartenders’ Weekender timetable is here: 33 events, with more to be announced

First up: The Fernet Coin Tour kicked off in Sydney last week, and is now spreading its unique vibe across the country. What started as a coin design competition led by Australian Branca ambassador Freddy Malavenda, has turned into a nationwide adventure, with some hardcore bartenders planning a trip around Australia to participate in all the events. After a packed-out event at Uncanny in Sydney, the Fernet coin is gaining fans everywhere. It’s not just about sipping; it’s about community and getting together. Keep an eye out for dates, and follow @fernetcoinparty on Instagram to see when the next party is happening. Melbourne is up next — Sunday 2 March at Loch & Key, from 10pm until late!

Well, after a big debut in 2024, the Bartenders’ Weekender is coming back to Brisbane in June this year — and the timetable is coming together.

Across three days in June — from Sunday the 15th to Tuesday the 17th — we’ve got education, tastings, takeovers, a brand new national awards show, and big hospo parties in what is shaping up to be the biggest event on the Australian bar industry calendar in 2025.

There are 33 events planned across three days, with more to be announced in the coming weeks — it is going to be a good time. Get a look at the jam-packed timetable here, and book your time off work.

The Better Bars Summit is back for two days of Australia’s most inspiring and informative bar and drinks talks. The idea is to inspire, inform, and entertain attendees — we want people to walk away from the Better Bars Summit with knowledge they can apply to their careers, their next menu, or their businesses. So we will again feature live, in-depth interviews with people at the top of their game, and smart panels designed to illuminate specific topic areas, but this year we’d love to broaden our speaking roster and feature some hard-earned insight into the bar and drinks business.

The Bartenders’ Weekender Scholarship is also back! Some 170 bartenders applied for the program in 2024, so we have upped the program to include eight bartenders from around Australia this year. The Bartenders’ Weekender Scholarship includes:

• return flights to Brisbane to attend Bartenders’ Weekender;
• four nights accommodation;
• tickets to two days of the Better Bars Summit;
• $500 spending money;
• tickets to the new Drinks 100 Australia Awards;
• invite to the Boothby Best Bars Queensland awards.

Entries are open now, and close on March 31st — all you have to do is give @bartendersweekender a follow on Instagram, and fill out the application form here.

And 2025 sees a brand new addition to the lineup: the Drinks 100 Australia Awards gala. Taking place on the Tuesday night, the last night of Bartenders’ Weekender. It’s a black tie, 200 person celebration of the bars, brands, distillers and influential personalities that make up Australia’s vibrant and dynamic drinks culture. Nominations will be opening soon — keep your eye on bartendersweekender.com for updates.