Cocktails in the city, Summer Edition

With an array of London’s finest bars hitting Bedford Square from 18 – 19 July, this al fresco weekender is set to deliver a range of exclusive institutions, elusive speakeasies and brand new joints.
Each bar vows to pull out all the stops –  literally – and the weekend will play host to tastings, interactive demonstrations and entertainment, with 25 of London’s most innovative bars coming together in celebration of the city’s diverse drinking scene.
Drinks range from champagne fizzes to espresso martinis, rum sours to slushies. Festival-goers are invited to taste unusual ingredients, lend a hand to world-renowned bartenders, or just stand back and watch the best in the business roll up their sleeves and work their magic.
Expert mixologists making an appearance include the Rivoli Bar at the Ritz, The Alchemist and The Cocktail Trading Co.
The London Cocktail Club (LCC), whose bartender Andy Mil being named Britain’s best in 2012, will also be hosting along with fellow bar gurus include We Are Big Chill and Loves Company.
Drinks aren’t all that are on offer – there’ll also be a series of talks, from those in the know, including Healthier Cocktails, Drinks For The Morning After The Night Before and How To Drink Like a Local.
But, of course, booze and entertainment need a third musketeer, and it wouldn’t be a festival without good food aplenty.
Culinary offerings include pulled pork from The Joint and a boozy gelato bar, for alcohol-flavoured sorbets and ice creams – that counts as food, yes? – all against a backdrop of live music and DJs.
The £15 ticket buys you entry along with one cocktail, and a guide to navigate the huge range that’s on offer. An indulgent way to spend a summer weekend, Cocktails in the City will no doubt leave you heading home with a host of new recipes up your sleeve to pass on the summer cheer. An experience you’ll – hopefully – remember when the drinks cart rolls around again next July.