It’s brunch culture with a bite, a spirited showdown where garnish towers reach for the rafters and no two sips taste the same. The Bloody Mary Festival—the world’s largest celebration of the iconic eye-opener—has already whipped New York, Austin, and Portland into a frenzy in 2026. Now, the rolling red tide is surging into St. Paul and Denver, and local drinkers had better come thirsty.

For those still on the fence, Weiss frames the Bloody Mary’s allure in unmistakably New York terms—yet the sentiment travels. “The Bloody Mary is the quintessential NYC drink because it mirrors life in the city,” he said at March’s 13th annual Brooklyn blowout. “No two recipes are the same, and when you order one, you never really know what you’re going to get. That unpredictability is what makes it special, just like New York. Step outside your apartment, and anything can happen.”

Twin Cities, Take Note

On October 3, the festival storms Union Depot in St. Paul (214 4th Street East), turning the historic train station into a temple of tomato, spice, and vodka. Then, on November 8, the party hits the Mile High City at Reelworks Denver (1399 35th Street), where the city’s finest bars and bottlers will battle for brunch supremacy.

Each stop in this five-city tour is part tasting event, part discovery, and entirely devoted to the savory cocktail that defies a single definition. Founder Evan Weiss sums it up perfectly: “It’s a chance to explore how inventive and diverse this iconic cocktail can be. It’s part tasting event, part discovery; the event gives you the rare opportunity to experience the endless possibilities of a Bloody Mary, all in one place.”

More than 1,000 cocktail fanatics, foodies, and hospitality insiders are expected to pack each venue, tasting their way through fifteen competing Bloody Mary’s dreamed up by local bars, restaurants, and artisanal mix companies. Attendees sip, savor, and stir up heated debate before voting to crown the “People’s Choice Award.” Meanwhile, a panel of expert judges hands out the highly coveted titles of “Best Bloody Mary” and “Best Garnish,” proving that in this arena, both flavor and flair matter—and that a properly dressed drink can practically moonlight as lunch.

To understand the delicious mayhem awaiting the Twin Cities and Denver, look no further than Austin’s eighth-annual throwdown this past April at Fair Market. Fifteen contenders, from neighborhood brunch institutions like Snooze A.M. Eatery, Phoebe’s Diner, and Tumble 22 to innovators like Carpenters Hall and Desmadrito, built their creations on Goodnight Loving Vodka, an Austin-made spirit that served as the common canvas for wildly different masterpieces.

Vinaigrette, Laurel Restaurant, Cisco’s, Eureka!, Industry, Kickler’s Kitchen, Fat E’s Spicy Mator Mix, The Pretty Farmer, Lee Lee’s, and Zing Zang all threw their celery-stalked hats into the ring, showcasing the depth of the city’s culinary community.

Expect the same electric variety when St. Paul and Denver bars arrive with house-infused vodkas, bold spice blends, and toppings that steal the spotlight—bacon strips, sliders, pickled vegetables, even whole fried chickens have been known to perch on the rim.

But the festival is much more than a cocktail competition. It’s a launching pad for emerging food and drink brands and a love letter to local hospitality. Throughout the day, attendees sample products from the likes of Fort Hamilton Distillery, Bronx Bull Bourbon, Tipsy Scoop, Pretzel Jerky, Montaukila Tequila, Achilles Heat, SWRL, Swoon, and Pierre’s Spicy Peanut Butter, among others. The result is a buzzing marketplace where a spicy peanut butter sample might chase a sip of barrel-aged rum, and a new favorite hot sauce is discovered between ballots.

True to its community-driven mission, the festival pours its heart into giving back. Austin’s 2026 proceeds benefited Girls Empowerment Network, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping girls build confidence and leadership skills. Each host city’s event partners with a local cause, raising a glass to creativity while supporting the people who make these neighborhoods thrive.

That same anything-can-happen spirit will pour into St. Paul and Denver this autumn. Whether you’re a die-hard traditionalist who believes a Bloody Mary should be nothing more than tomato, spice, and a celery wand, or an adventurous soul ready to embrace a tower of bacon, shrimp, and a grilled cheese sandwich on a skewer, the festival promises an afternoon where flavor is king and the only thing taken seriously is the fun.

Ready to raise a glass for the People’s Choice? Tickets for both cities are expected to disappear faster than a stiff horseradish kick. Visit the official Bloody Mary Festival website, grab your voting tokens, and prepare your elastic waistbands—the ultimate brunch rumble is rolling your way.

St. Paul

Location: Union Depot, 214 4th Street East, St. Paul, MN, 55101.

TIME

Session 1

VIP: 10:00AM-1:00PM

GA: 10:45AM-1:00PM

Session 2

VIP: 2:30PM-5:30PM

GA: 3:15PM-5:30PM

Buy tickets: https://www.thebloodymaryfest.com/twin-cities-mn-10-3-26

Denver

Location: Reelworks Denver, 1399 35th Street, Denver, CO, 80205

TIME

VIP: 11:30AM-2:30PM

GA: 12:15PM-2:30PM

Buy tickets: https://www.thebloodymaryfest.com/denver-11-8-26

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