Pittsburgh's
Cocktail Weekend
& Conference
Five days built for the people who take the craft seriously. Two days citywide. Three days of education, conversation, and community at the center of a scene on the rise.
A MixBurgh Foundation event — Pittsburgh's craft cocktail co-op — With support from Visit Pittsburgh
A celebration with two halves
MixBurgh Weekend is not a takeover. It is a coming-out party for a city that has been quietly building something exceptional.
Cocktail Weekend
Pittsburgh's bars, as they are. Specialty cocktails at participating venues across the city. Guest shifts staffed by Pittsburgh's own bartenders. Drink specials, late nights, and the chance to discover what this scene has built.
Conference
Education-forward programming for bartenders and industry professionals. Seminars, tastings, and panels led by some of the most respected voices in craft cocktails. Not a party. A conversation.
Pittsburgh Cocktail Weekend
Two days, dozens of bars, one city making its case.
Specialty Cocktails
Participating venues feature a MixBurgh Weekend cocktail available at a featured price all weekend.
Guest Shifts
Pittsburgh bartenders showcase their work at their own bars. This weekend belongs to the people who built this scene.
Late-Night Events
Signature events, after-hours programming, and dinners for conference attendees and the public alike.
Walkable Downtown Core
The heart of the activation centers on Pittsburgh's walkable downtown neighborhoods.
Citywide Participation
Bars across Pittsburgh's neighborhoods join in. The scene is not one block—it's a whole city.
21+ All Events
All MixBurgh Weekend events are 21 and over. Events are subject to venue capacity and applicable Pennsylvania law.
Pittsburgh's bars are not a backdrop. Conference attendees visiting from out of town are here to experience what Pittsburgh's bartenders have built—not to watch someone else run it. Guest shifts during MixBurgh Weekend are staffed by the people who work here every week. We believe Pittsburgh has world-class bars. This is the weekend we prove it.
The MixBurgh Conference
Three days of substance for the people doing the work.
Downtown Pittsburgh, PA
writers & industry professionals
The MixBurgh Conference is built around a premise: the educational programming that the craft cocktail industry needs is being crowded out by the party. We are building three days of serious programming for people who want to think, question, and learn.
Programming includes
- Educational seminars led by nationally recognized voices in the industry
- Spirit and technique tastings with leading producers
- Panels on the business, culture, and future of craft cocktails
- Conversations about what it means to build a bar scene in a new city
- Evening events connecting attendees with Pittsburgh's best venues
- Opportunities to meet, drink, and explore a city on the rise
The People in the Room
Writers, distillers, and industry voices who are shaping where craft cocktails go next.
Two-time Spirited Award winner, author of The Ice Book and Doctors and Distillers, and the writer who taught the world how to make clear ice.
The New York Times' primary cocktail and spirits writer since 2009, two-time James Beard Award nominee, and author of seven books including A Proper Drink and The Encyclopedia of Cocktails.
Managing editor, photographer, and co-author of The Mix with Robert Simonson, one of the most widely read cocktail newsletters in the country.
Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame inductee, five-time James Beard Foundation nominee, and the creative force behind one of America's most innovative craft distilleries since 1996.
Pittsburgh's Best, All in One Weekend
These are the bars and distilleries that make Pittsburgh's craft cocktail scene worth the trip. MixBurgh Weekend is your chance to experience all of them.
Molecular mixology on a starship. World-class craft cocktails in an immersive sci-fi environment in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh.
spacebarpittsburgh.com
Craft cocktail quality with a dive bar soul. Literary-themed bar and live venue with open mics, pinball, and Pittsburgh Drinks on the menu.
poetrymillvale.com
Nationally acclaimed tiki bar with the largest rum library in America. A benchmark of craft hospitality and one of Pittsburgh's most celebrated destinations.
hiddenharborpgh.com
An Alpine wine and cocktail bar, beer hall, and bottle shop all in one. Alpine-inspired cocktails, an expert lager list, and woodfired pizza.
loreleipgh.com
A Pittsburgh distillery built around science-forward spirit-making. Gin, bourbon, rye, and vodka crafted to be the backbone of a great cocktail.
luckysignspirits.com
Family-owned grain-to-glass whiskey distillery in the heart of historic Whiskey Rebellion country, producing rye and bourbon from locally sourced heritage grains.
libertypolespirits.com
The cocktail program at Fairmont Pittsburgh, blending locally sourced spirits and seasonal ingredients in one of the city's most refined bar settings.
fairmont.comJoin Us
Tickets go on sale as programming is announced. Register your interest now for early access and updates.
Weekend Pass
- Access to participating bars citywide
- Featured specialty cocktails Nov 7–8
- Select signature events (ticketed separately)
- Open to all 21+
Conference Attendee
- Full access to three days of conference programming
- All educational seminars and tastings
- Panels, workshops, and networking sessions
- Access to evening events during Cocktail Weekend
- Priority seating for keynotes and featured sessions
Register your interest
We will reach out with ticket access and programming announcements before they go public.
Build the Scene With Us
MixBurgh is a 501(c)(3) co-op. Partners share a calendar, share audiences, and contribute to a craft cocktail ecosystem that grows the whole city.
- Partner directory listing and badge
- Inclusion in partner calendar and event listings
- One co-promoted activation per year
- Two seats per quarterly training session
- Everything in Partner
- Two co-promoted activations per year
- Two content spotlights per year
- Priority consideration for conference programming
- Everything in Featured Partner
- Four co-promoted activations per year
- One signature collaboration per year
- Seat on the MixBurgh Partner Council
Apply to the Partner Network
We follow up with a short intake call and plug you into the next calendar cycle.
Stay Inside the Scene
Early access to events, guides, and small-format experiences built for people who care about what's in the glass.
- Dispatch emails with menus, pop-ups, and recommendations
- Early RSVP window for public MixBurgh events
- Member calendar: tastings, guest shifts, releases
- Everything in The List
- Monthly Field Guide (PDF)
- First access to limited-seat events
- Member ticket access on select experiences
- Everything in Society
- Reserved seat at each quarterly Patron Salon
- One guest pass per year
- Priority help planning experiences
Join as an individual
Sign up for The List. Upgrade any time.
MixBurgh in the News
Coverage of MixBurgh Foundation and Pittsburgh's rising craft cocktail scene.
Coverage also pending in Imbibe, Food & Wine, InsideHook, and VinePair. For press inquiries, use our contact form.