Where to celebrate World Gin Day 2018 in Manchester

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – for gin drinkers!

It’s Negroni Week, and this weekend is the highlight of the summer – World Gin Day. For me, it’s almost as good as my birthday and Christmas rolled into one. Less presents, more gin.

This year, Manchester has a fantastic range of treats available for you, from gin festivals, to free tastings, to three days of bar offers. World Gin Day promises to be the biggest yet – and I, for one, cannot wait.

The Clarence in Bury starts us off, with their Perfect Serve Weekend. Get any 2 of their Perfect Serve gins for just £10 all day on Friday 8, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 June, with classics like Tanqueray with fresh thyme and lemon, to local gins like Ramsbottom Pink Gin with tonic, fresh orange, blackberries and a splash of raspberry and pomegranate cordial.

At the opposite end of the city, it’s the third annual Didsbury Gin Festival over at St Catherine’s Community Centre on School Lane on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 June. Held to help fund the modernisation of the St Catherine’s Community Centre, and entirely staffed by volunteers, it’s moved from its usual December slot to June to take advantage of the summer sun. But be quick, tickets sell out!

On to the city centre and Gin Journey are not only hosting a Gin Journey on the day itself, but also a Gin Journey Brunch on 10 June – so if you’re not totally ginned out, you’ve still got opportunity to indulge or recover from the night before. With five samples of gin, five cocktails, and a car to take you around each stop, it’s a relaxing way to spend your World Gin Day.

It’s early doors this week for Wood Manchester who are hosting a World Gin Day celebration on 6 June. Meet the makers of Worsley Gin, enjoy a three course meal in their private dining room, and distill your own gin, all on the same evening. I really can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.

Kicking off at 12pm on Saturday 9 June, Atlas Bar will be launching their brand new Gin Passport using their Gin Bible. The first 250 customers who apply for the passport can work towards choosing a bottle of gin at the end of their journey, with all proceeds going to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity.

Finally, there’s World Gin Day Manchester. Kicking off on Friday 8 June and ending on Sunday 10 June, it’s a full weekend of gin. Twenty bars from across the city and beyond are offering discounted cocktails, G&Ts and even food across the weekend to wristband holders.

Wristbands cost £10, but mean you can access everything from £3.50 G&Ts to 2for1 cocktails and free gin tasting sessions at the Gin Hub on First Street on Saturday 9 June.

Oh, and there’s a challenge too. If you visit every venue (evidenced) you can win gin, a Canal Street Discount Card and a private gin tasting for six.

And don’t worry if you still can’t make any of these ginny events. World Martini Day is just round the corner on 19 June.

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