This year’s Edinburgh Bar Show was a ‘real step-up’ from its 2024 debut, attracting greater participation from both trade professionals and brands.
Following this ‘monumental second year’, the event’s organisers have now confirmed that the four-day celebration of the bar industry, spirits, innovation, and hospitality excellence will return in 2026.
Curated and delivered by Iain McPherson of Panda & Sons, and Jamie Faulds and Gary Anderson of Edinburgh Cocktail Week, the 2025 show attracted more than 1450 trade professionals to its seminars and daytime events – while even larger crowds turned out for its evening activations and bar takeovers.
Venues across the capital were reportedly ‘buzzing with energy’ as bartenders, brand ambassadors, and hospitality professionals came together at ‘the UK’s fastest-growing bar trade event’, which had a near 15% increase in registrations compared to 2024.
Faulds said: “We were all so pleased with EBS25 – it felt like a real step-up year on year. There was an amazing energy and buzz across the city, and a real sense of community amongst all that attended.
“A huge thank you goes to our brand partners for this year who helped us build a schedule that certainly delivered on our aspirations to engage and excite our growing audience. Roll on 2026!”
Anderson said: “It was amazing to see the bar community come out in force for the second edition of Edinburgh Bar Show.
“Expectations were high this year, and we definitely felt the pressure to deliver, but we have been delighted with the feedback from delegates and our brand partners which reaffirms our vision for the future of the event.
“We look forward to returning in 2026 with another dynamic and progressive programme of events that puts Edinburgh Bar Show at the top of the list of international drinks trade shows to visit.”
McPherson added: “Edinburgh Bar Show is very important to the Scottish and further afield bar communities.
“Giving free education to bartenders is something we are really proud of, and witnessing that hunger to learn, is amazing to see. I think the uptake from year one is a great testament to that.
“We wouldn’t be able to do this without our amazing brand partners, so a huge thanks to them for the vital support.
“Having people all around the world getting to see what Edinburgh’s bar scene is all about is fantastic and also giving the local bartenders the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s best bars is very impactful too.
“The energy I feel at each Edinburgh bar show to date, is very special. At its heart, Edinburgh Bar Show is about people,” said McPherson.
“Whether it was bartenders trading techniques, brands unveiling new products, or delegates making connections that will shape their careers, the atmosphere throughout was one of collaboration, creativity, and shared passion.”
This year’s EBS once again used The Voodoo Rooms as its official hub, and the programme featured no less than 55 daily seminars, activities, bar takeovers and experiential brand activations.
2025’s highlights included:
- The Johnnie Walker Drop at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, an immersive activation, making its UK debut, which ran daily from 12–8pm and proved to be one of the show’s most talked-about experiences;
- Diageo Bar Academy Careers Lab, which offered team-building, career development, and even professional headshots;
- Glenmorangie Wonder Cinema, a standout bartenders-only event at the Scotsman Cinema exploring the art of cocktail creativity;
- Mindful Drinking & Wellness sessions with Everleaf, Laura Willoughby MBE and Camille Vidal, bringing a focus on wellbeing to the fore;
- And of course the EBS Parties, with with Hendrick’s Gin and Monkey Shoulder joint hosting the opening party, then closing with a bang courtesy of Remy Cointreau’s Botanist & Bruichladdich takeover at Uno Mas.
The 2025 edition also saw a significant uplift in brand participation, with new names including Johnnie Walker, Paragon, Brown Forman and Schweppes joining returning partners such as William Grant & Sons, Bacardi Group, Campari Group, and Pernod Ricard.
This new and continued support from brands has ensured that EBS remains free to attend for trade professionals, which is a core principle of the organisers.
In 2026, the Edinburgh Bar Show will return from Sunday 5th to Wednesday 8th April.
