Taiwan will host a new kind of festival from March 4 to 8, 2026, when Taiwan Cocktail Camp 2026 unfolds across Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. The event brings together bartenders, chefs, and media from across Asia, creating a week of shared experiences that link food, cocktails, and culture. This international gathering is jointly curated by four of Taiwan’s most acclaimed bars; Vender, To Infinity and Beyond, Han-Jia Pairing Dinner, and Mailtail.
The opening night sets the tone with dinners held in all four cities. Guest chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants in Bangkok and Macau, including Khao San Sek, IGNIV Bangkok, 80/20 Bangkok, and Aji, join Taiwan’s leading bars to create menus where each dish is paired with a cocktail. Local ingredients and storytelling are woven into the evening, showing how mixology can sit alongside fine dining.
The following day, Taichung becomes the stage for the Bar Crawl Challenge. Teams move through eight bars, taking part in blind tastings, speed-shaking contests, and garnish design tasks. It is both playful and collaborative, highlighting the creativity of Taiwan’s bar community. On March 6, the Industry Welcome Dinner gathers more than a hundred bartenders, bar owners, and media at a private venue, with a menu prepared by The Guest House, Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel, a Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant. The evening offers a relaxed setting for conversation and collaboration.
A Festival of Balance and Celebration
Mindful drinking is a central theme throughout the camp. Many cocktails are created with lower alcohol content or without alcohol at all, showing that flavor and imagination can thrive alongside moderation. Drinks under 15 percent ABV are featured, reflecting a commitment to healthier ways of enjoying cocktails.
The largest public event arrives on March 7 at Taichung Park. The outdoor festival includes twenty bar booths, a food market, live DJs, and the Star Booth, where international bartenders serve complimentary mini cocktails. Thousands of visitors are expected to join, sampling drinks that emphasize creativity while keeping balance in mind.
Taiwan Cocktail Camp was first founded in Taichung, but 2026 marks its debut as a four-city festival. Each city carries its own theme: Taipei as the capital of mixology, Taichung with its creative outdoor lifestyle, Tainan rooted in heritage and local flavor, and Kaohsiung bringing festival energy by the harbor. More than a series of events, the camp is designed as a cultural platform that builds networks, encourages collaboration, and places Taiwan firmly within the wider conversation of Asia’s cocktail community.
