On August 17 and 18, Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB) will return to the Brooklyn Expo Center in New York City. This year’s bar trade conference will mark the return of in-person events and the first industry conference to take place as a physical show since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Education from this year’s show will be available digitally for those who cannot join in person or prefer to participate remotely.
The New York Governor and New York Mayor have recently announced a full reopening of the city, including bars, restaurants, and events, from May 19th, as 50% of adult New Yorkers have completed their vaccines series. Bar Convent Brooklyn is working diligently with its network of venue partners to create an event where attendees can conduct business safely and effectively by implementing protocols and best practices around COVID-19 response and prevention from public health officials and state and local governments.
In an effort to give back to the industry as it reawakens to the public, Hennessy, a sponsor of BCB, is providing the first 100 bartenders who register for BCB 2021, complimentary one day access to the event. The brand will also be working with Another Round, Another Rally to create 175 full scholarships for BIPOC bartenders to attend the show.
“BCB is all about connections, whether that is through education and learning, connecting with people new and old, or through taste, like sampling new products and getting inspired,” says Bar Convent Brooklyn Event Director Jackie Williams. “I can’t wait to see friends reconnect for the first time in so long.”
The core of BCB Brooklyn 2021 remains the same: premium craft spirits, education, and networking. Since its debut in Brooklyn in 2018, BCB has seen solid growth each year—in the number of attendees, exhibitors, and education sessions—and continually looks to improve itself to provide the best experience possible for its exhibitors and visitors. This year, there will be several noticeable changes.
What’s New for 2021:
- Education
- BCB’s new education committee is dedicated to helping craft the best content that BCB has had to date, both online and physically. This year, the annual revolving BCB education committee includes:
- Alexis Brown, co-founder of Causing a Stir
- Johnny Caldwell and Taneka Reaves, industry consultants and founders of The Cocktail Bandits
- Joshua Davis, an industry veteran and founder of Brown and Balanced
- Lynnette Marrero, Bar Director, Llama San, NYC & Llama Inn, Bklyn and Co-Founder, Speed Rack
- Julie Reiner, author, co-founder of Social Hour Cocktails, and co-owner of Clover Club & Leyenda
- Jackie Summers, author, industry speaker and founder of JackFromBrooklyn Inc
- BCB’s new education committee is dedicated to helping craft the best content that BCB has had to date, both online and physically. This year, the annual revolving BCB education committee includes:
- Increased diversity, equity, and inclusion
- BCB education sessions will include conversations about a vast array of social issues as selected by the diverse lineup of brand ambassadors and education committee members, ensuring topics and presenters are representative of the industry.
- The Infused Saloon
- An area showcasing international exhibitors who are unable to make it to the event physically
- The BCB Shop
- BCB will be launching BCB Brooklyn merchandise include hoodies, t-shirts, pins and more, which will be available online and onsite at the event
- BCB’s COVID-19 health & safety protocols
- Visitors will see larger aisles, increased handwashing stations, more outdoor space, masks, and more.
- And More to Come!
- BCB will announce additional initiatives and the final education program soon. Stay tuned for details.
Tickets can now be purchased on the Bar Convent Brooklyn website, starting at an Early Bird Rate of $48 available until July 12. From July 12, pre-purchased tickets online will be $65 per day, and upon availability, tickets at the door will be $80 per day. Throughout the two-day event, attendees will be able to take advantage of a myriad of new taste forums, demonstrations, and panel discussions with leading industry experts. For those interested in attending, make sure to register early as space is limited.
For more information about attending or exhibiting at Bar Convent Brooklyn, visit BarConventBrooklyn.com. To learn about sponsorship, partnership, and exhibition opportunities, contact Jackie Williams at jmwilliams@reedexpo.com.