David Kaplan
Co-Founder, Death & Co · CEO, Gin & Luck
Seattle
MixBurgh 2026: Shaking things up in Pittsburgh
Cocktail Weekend · Conference · Gathering
November 8 to 10, 2026
Downtown Pittsburgh
A cocktail weekend, a conference, and an industry gathering for Pittsburgh and every bar within a day's drive of the Paris of Appalachia. The birthplace of the speakeasy, home of the original whiskey rebels, and the place the craft comes back together.
For bartenders, bar owners, distillers, and the teams who run the room. Pittsburgh Cocktail Weekend opens the week citywide, November 6 to 7.
The Event
Five days, two halves.
Two days for public enthusiasm. Three days for the trade, at the center of a scene on the rise.
6-7
Nov · Fri & Sat
Pittsburgh Cocktail Weekend
Specialty cocktails, guest shifts staffed by Pittsburgh's own, and late-night events across the city.
8-10
Nov · Sun-Tue
The MixBurgh Conference
Education-forward seminars, tastings, and panels led by respected voices in craft, with a closing event at Heinz Hall.
About MixBurgh
Who we are.
MixBurgh is a nonprofit collective. We work to raise the floor for workers and small businesses while raising the ceiling of education and recognition across the industry, in Pittsburgh and throughout the region. We are supported by Visit Pittsburgh, the City of Pittsburgh, and the collaborative effort of more than 30 bars.
Why MixBurgh
Meet the best in the craft.
MixBurgh is a straightforward invitation. Meet, learn from, and share a drink with some of the most accomplished people in cocktails, in a city quickly earning its place on the world's cocktail map. Education first, peers in the room, and talent that travels here from around the world.
i.
Learn from the best
Seminars and panels with leading bartenders, distillers, and writers from around the world. Technique, menu, service, and the business of a bar program that lasts.
ii.
Taste widely
A dedicated tasting room with visiting distillers and blind flights. Spirits you cannot get poured for you at home, side by side, with the people who make them.
iii.
Build your bench
Bring three or four from your bar and develop the whole team at once. Trade shifts and ideas with peers from across the country. Go home sharper.
Speakers
The people behind the bar.
International and national talent, on stage and behind the bar.
Tato Giovannoni
Owner, Florería Atlántico
Buenos Aires
Lance Winters
Master Distiller, St. George Spirits
Alameda, California
Camper English
Writer & Educator, Alcademics
San Francisco
Robert Simonson
Cocktail Writer, The New York Times
Milwaukee
Mary Kate Murray
Managing Editor & Photographer, The Mix
Milwaukee
More speakers announced soon.
The Exchange
Guest shifts from the world's best bars.
For one night, a visiting team takes a well at a Pittsburgh bar. Two are booked, with more to come.
Floreria Atlantico
Buenos Aires
World's 50 Best Bars, and Best Bar in South America eight times over.
Porco Lounge and Tiki Room
Cleveland
Cleveland's landmark tiki room, named among America's best bars.
Stay tuned as we announce more.
The Program
Four tracks, one industry.
Programming runs across four parallel tracks, so your team can split up, cover more ground, and compare notes over a drink. A first look at what we are building.
Business of Bars
Ownership, economics, and models that keep neighborhoods served.
Spirits & Distillery
Production and provenance, led from the still.
Behind the Bar
Technique, hospitality, and the craft of the shift.
Culture & the Future
Where the craft is heading and who it serves.
The Tasting Room
Distillers, poured in person.
A dedicated tasting room runs throughout the conference. Visiting distillers bring rare and pre-release bottles, blind flights challenge what you think you know, and the makers stand behind the table to talk it through. This is the room people will remember.
Tickets
Pick your pass.
One ticket covers both days of programming, and the $149 Conference Pass holds through October 1. Bring your team and the math gets a lot better.
Conference Pass
$149
Both full days.
- Both days of programming
- Every track: seminars, panels, tastings
- Access to the distiller tasting room
Most popular
All-Access Pass
$199
Everything, plus the reception.
- Everything in Conference Pass
- Opening reception
- Reserved seating at marquee sessions
- Priority entry to limited-seat tastings
Limited
VIP Pass
$275
The full run, front row.
- Everything in All-Access
- Closing event at Heinz Hall
- Limited-seat masterclasses
- VIP lounge and concierge
For Bar Programs
Bring your bar. The fourth seat is on us.
Buy four Conference Passes and pay for three. Develop the whole team at once, and let the people who pour every night learn together.
4 passes for $447You save $149. The discount applies automatically at checkout.
Get the Bar Team Pass
The Conference Pass holds at $149 through October 1, then moves to standard pricing. The Bar Team offer runs for a limited window. Attendees must be 21 or older for any session with alcohol service. Responsible service in compliance with Pennsylvania law.
In the Press
The industry is watching Pittsburgh.
VinePair covered Pittsburgh's push to put itself on the cocktail map. The work behind MixBurgh and Space Bar has drawn national coverage from the rooms that set the conversation.
Good to Know
Questions, answered.
Is this really built for working bartenders?
Yes. The conference is designed for bartenders, bar owners, distillers, producers, and writers who want programming that meets them at the level of the work they do. Serious enthusiasts are welcome too.
Can I bring my whole team?
That is the idea. The Bar Team Pass gives you four Conference Passes for the price of three. For larger crews, reach out and we will sort out a rate that works.
Where is it, and what about the rest of the week?
The conference runs November 8 to 10 in Downtown Pittsburgh's Cultural District. It opens with a welcome reception on Sunday evening, November 8, runs two full days of programming on Monday and Tuesday, November 9 and 10, with evenings out at top bars across the city, and closes at Heinz Hall on Tuesday, November 10. Pittsburgh Cocktail Weekend comes first, Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, a citywide activation at participating bars.
How do I get there, and where should I stay?
Pittsburgh International Airport is a short ride from downtown, and the conference sits in the Cultural District, walkable to hotels, restaurants, and the city's best bars. We will share lodging recommendations as the dates approach.