Sharlafied taps Cortina Cocktail Weekend, December 16-18
The first Cocktail Weekend on the snow in Europe kicks off now: December 16-18 and it is going to be cool. (sorry, my pun gene is kicking in).
Cortina has long been famous as the ultimate Italian ski resort, yet I have never been there in winter. I’m really looking forward to this weekend for a number of reasons: Snow. It just gets me in the holiday mood! Outdoor activity - sets the blood pumping, fireplaces and après-ski… the best time of the day in my book, and of course…. Cocktails!
Paola Mencarelli.
So I have Paola Mencarelli and her team to thank for putting together this weekend packed with fun. Let’s hear what they have to say about it.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO - Introducing Cortina Cocktail Weekend, the first cocktail week on the snow in Europe, Friday 16th to Sunday 18th of December organized by Paola Mencarelli and her team, with the patronage of the Municipality of Cortina and in collaboration with Cortina Marketing.
The objective is to shine a light on quality mixology in the Dolomites and to spread the culture of conscious and responsible drinking with an event that will involve the entire area of the city and the mountains themselves..
Paola says:
"Like for Florence and Venice, also in Cortina we're designing a bespoke event, built specifically for the great ski resort area of Veneto." Says Paola Mencarelli. "The guiding thread of all our cocktail weeks is conscious and quality imbibing, with the collaboration and Cortina professionals and partners: from hotel bars, to cocktail bars, to chalets."
Zelda bar.
Cortina Cocktail Weekend
Each venue will present a Signature Cocktail #CCW22, created and exclusively presented from the 16th to the 18th of December, which will represent Cortina and its traditions.
There are four differents moments of the day:
Midday Aperitivo
Masterclass / Product Presentation
Après Ski
Night Shift
Events with Italian and international guests, but also cultural initiatives and recreational activities designed to help the public discover Cortina full circle.
During the three days of the festival, are planned initiatives such as the "CCW Experience", experiential activities in which cocktails will be the guiding thread to discover the city and the mountains, as well as activities such as Helicopter rides, sledding,snowmobile rides, dogsledding, snowshoeing and other surprises in collaboration with Cortina Snowdreamers Ski School.
Some of the events: The Opening Party on the evening of Friday December 16th, and Dining with the Spirits" where local restaurants use CCW brands as ingredients of their dishes in their menus or in dedicated events.
A big highlight is the CW22 Ski and Snowboard race on the morning of Sunday 18th of December, in collaboration with the Cortina Snowdreamers Ski School. Contestants have to ski down the hill with a full Martini cocktail in their hand, and the fastest finisher with the fullest glass wins.
How Cortina Cocktail Weekend was born
At the end of August, Paola Mencarelli had been invited by Grand Hotel Savoia to present Venice Cocktail Week, having protagonists two bartenders of Venice: Antonio Ferrara - bar manager of The Bar, Aman Venice - and Lucas Kelm - Bar Manager of Palazzina The Bar, Palazzina Grassi of Venice and Rosapetra Spa Resort of Cortina.
“This event opened my mind.” says Paola Mencarelli. "Only by personally going to Cortina I could understand if my idea of a mixology festival would be feasible there as well. And that is what I did. I visited the venues in the city and realized that I could start working on it. The synergies created with various Cortina personalities have then helped me in developing a new format focused on the characteristics and opportunities of this particular city. The timing is tight, but we decided to take advantage of the pre-Christmas period, less crowded, in order to have more availability from the venues and give life to a pilot event, as we did for Venice."
Design and Art
The logo of Cortina Cocktail Weekend was designed by Piero Lissoni of Lissoni&Partners, a friend of Paola Mencarelli's Cocktail Weeks who wanted to give a modern and pop image where the world of cocktails joins the city of Cortina in a symbolic toast. It is a twist on the design of the Martini glass of Venice Cocktail Week, held by a ski glove with a nod to Cortina’s glorious history as a sports capital.
Cortina Dolomites. Photo by Simone De Cillia
Paola Mencarelli and the Cocktail Weeks
The Cocktail Week format, born in London in 2008, was brought to Italy by Paola Mencarelli in 2016, when she organized the first edition of Florence Cocktail Week. Three years later came Tuscany Cocktail Week and in 2020, Aman Venice asks FCW to organize the first event dedicated to mixology in Venice.
The Cocktail Week team has always had a single, clear objective: to enhance the quality of the mixology scene in the city and spread the culture of Conscious and Responsible Drinking.
List of venues participaring in Cortina Cocktail Weekend
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Zelda Champagne&Cocktail Club, Ambra Cortina Luxury & Fashion Boutique Hotel
Bar De Len, Hotel De Len
Bar Del Posta, Hotel De La Poste
H.E. Café, Hotel Europa
Terrace 26, Rosapetra Spa Resort
Villevenete Lounge, Hotel De La Poste
Bar del Cortina, Hotel Cortina
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Chalet Tofane
Faro
La Suite
LP26
Molo Cortina
Villa Sandi
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Col Druscié 1778
I don’t know about you, but when I think about the snow I feel like a little kid! See you there, stay tuned! Special thanks to Ambra Cortina Luxury & Fashion Boutique Hotel and the brand new Zelda Champagne&Cocktail Club.
Where to find Cortina Cocktail Weekend
Instagram: @cortinacocktailweekend