BAR & RESTAURANT EXPO TO HOST THE 2024 USBG SHAKE IT UP COMPETITION
The nation’s most talented bartenders will battle it out for the title of 2024 USBG National Champion
Back by popular demand at the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo, returning to the Las Vegas Convention Center March 18 – 20, 2024, the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) will hold its national cocktail competition, Shake It Up. The competition will take place on the expo’s NxT Stage on Wednesday, March 20, from 1 pm – 5 pm. Applications for the Shake it Up competition are due Tuesday, November 28, 2023, and can be submitted here.
“We are honored to have been selected to host the 2024 Shake It Up Competition in support of USBG and the nation’s bartending community,” said Tim McLucas, Vice President of Bar & Restaurant Group. “As a gathering of the food and beverage industry’s most innovative and up-and-coming professionals, this competition will be a perfect showcase of the energy and creativity we aim to inspire through this expo.”
Sponsored by Reàl Cocktail Ingredients as the official syrup, this thrilling competition will showcase the most talented bartenders in the nation as they demonstrate creativity, speed, and skill. Each competitor will craft a cocktail live in front of expo attendees and a panel of expert judges. These bartenders will be awarded points based on many elements including taste, aroma, presentation, creativity and more.
The top two scoring contestants will advance to the final round, where the winner will be named the 2024 USBG National Champion and will represent the USBG at the 2024 IBA World Cocktail Championship in Portugal. The runner-up will represent the USBG in the 2024 Pan-American Cocktail Championship.
“The USBG is thrilled to see the return of the Shake It Up competition, where bartenders from across the US shake, stir, and hone their craft for the opportunity to represent the US on a global stage,” said Aaron Gregory Smith, USBG Executive Director.
Bar & Restaurant Expo is a trade event and not open to the general public. Early bird registration tickets are available now through January 22, 2024, and can be purchased here. Press registration is also open and available here. Those interested in attending or exhibiting at the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo can visit www.barandrestaurantexpo.com for more information.
Additional details about the expo floor, educational workshops, masterclasses, speakers, nightlife activations and more will be announced in the coming months. Stay connected with Bar & Restaurant Expo on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About Bar & Restaurant Expo
Bar & Restaurant Expo has continued to evolve and mirror the fast-paced, trend-setting nature of the hospitality industry. The event has been providing the specific tools that bar and restaurant owners, operators, and managers need to grow their businesses, compete, and succeed in this hyper-competitive and dynamic industry. The Bar & Restaurant Group is a division of the Questex Hospitality Group which also produces Vibe Conference, World Tea Expo, and daily content on barandrestaurant.com and worldteanews.com.
About Questex
Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here.
About USBG
Founded in 1948, the United States Bartenders’ Guild®️ is the national, member-led not-for-profit association of bartenders and other hospitality professionals that unites and elevates the bar industry through education, community, and advocacy. Through its network, the USBG connects members with peer-to-peer learning, expert instruction, service projects, and skills-based competition, all while fostering a fun and healthy environment and reinforcing the importance of the ‘third place’ in neighborhoods across the country.