Raise your glasses, for Singapore Cocktail Festival (SGCF) returns once again for its fifth running. Alongside the Bicentennial buzz, this year’s edition is bigger and better, bringing together cocktail culture and the best bartenders and bars from around the world. Celebrate the best bars in the region at the Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony; drink and have fun at the Festival Village; and join in on tours, bar takeovers and more across 45 participating cocktail bars in the city.

Aiming to position Singapore as Asia’s leading cocktail city, SGCF brings together the industry’s best and its consumers, promoting immersive cocktail experiences. Dive right into a pulsating hub of activity on Empress Lawn, where the Festival Village features award-winning bars, an artisanal spirits tasting room, and a food street for good ol’ bar grub. Get a taste of favourites from the likes of Tippling Club and Jigger & Pony, but also try out the region’s best, like Bangkok’s Smalls and Seoul’s Keepers. Then make your rounds around other well-loved local favourites, including Neon Pigeon, Origin Bar and Mitzo, and as trusty brands like Monkey Shoulder and Four Pillars Gin delight with spirit-forward concoctions.

If it’s exquisite spirits you want to sip on, head into the Artisanal Spirits Tasting Room and have a taste of craft bottlings like Skin Gin, Black Cow and Maracatu Cachaca. For tasty solids to go with your liquid diet, the Food Street features restaurant pop-ups including from Dempsey’s Como Cuisine.

Things will be heating up this year with new festival addition Barstylez International Bartender Championship. Admire the flair and finesse of over 60 bartenders from more than 25 countries, all while downing your tipples from biodegradable drinkware as part of their environmental sustainability initiative. They’ll keep the good vibes flowing all-night long, with a daily host of live acts and DJ sets across genres like R&B, soul and afrobeat. If it’s a good conversation you fancy, head to the launch of the first #SGCFBarAcademy—where you can discuss key topics surrounding cocktail culture, and get to know the faces behind the booze.

The fun (and the drinking) doesn’t just stop there either, for festival deals continue across cocktail bars and restaurants all over town. From May 10-18, The Cocktail Passport on the Sluggr app earns you exclusive promotions and deals at participating establishments like Mythz & Myths, Smoke & Mirrors and Cin Cin.

Singapore Cocktail Festival's Festival Village runs from May 10-12, while the Cocktail Passport is usable till May 18. Early bird tickets to SGCF 2019 available from Feb 1-28, starting from $30 for a one-day pass. More info here.