What to Buy for a Cocktail Festival
A cocktail festival needs more than bottles and mixers. You will need enough glassware for several drinks per guest, reliable ice and refrigeration, bar tools for each station, and prepared garnishes that can be served quickly. This shopping list also covers the items people often arrange too late: coolers, waste bins, menu boards, serving plates and storage containers. Use your guest count and number of cocktail stations to adjust quantities before you shop.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Cocktail barqty 2
- Tablesqty 10
- High tablesqty 8
- Chairsqty 40
- Waste binsqty 6
Tableware
- Highball glassesqty 120
- Wine glassesqty 100
- Martini glassesqty 60
- Shot glassesqty 40
- Platesqty 120
- Cutlery setsqty 120
- Serving boardsqty 12
Equipment
- Refrigeratorsqty 3
- Coolersqty 4
- Blendersqty 3
- Ice Cube Machinesqty 2
- Speakersqty 2
Kitchen
- Cocktail shakersqty 8
- Jiggersqty 8
- Bar spoonsqty 8
- Strainersqty 8
- Cutting boardsqty 6
- Chef’s knives and paring knivesqty 8
- Measuring cupsqty 6
- Pour spoutsqty 20
- Garnish tongsqty 8
- Storage binsqty 20
Decorations
- Buntingqty 8
- Menu boardsqty 4
- Table runnersqty 10
Lighting
- String lightsqty 6
Cleaning
- Washing-up tubsqty 4
- Spongesqty 12
- Cleaning bucketsqty 4
- Floor squeegeesqty 2
Catering
- Groceries
- Gin - 8 bottles
- Vodka - 6 bottles
- White rum - 5 bottles
- Tequila - 4 bottles
- Bourbon - 3 bottles
- Triple sec - 4 bottles
- Vermouth - 4 bottles
- Prosecco - 12 bottles
- Beer - 4 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Tonic - 12 bottles
- Ginger ale - 8 bottles
- Ginger beer - 8 bottles
- Soda water - 10 bottles
- Orange juice - 10 liters
- Pineapple juice - 8 liters
- Cranberry juice - 8 liters
- Lime juice - 6 liters
- Lemon juice - 5 liter
- Passion fruit purée - 4 liter
- Coconut cream - 3 liters
- Grenadine - 3 bottles
- Sugar syrup - 4 bottles
- Basil syrup - 2 bottles
- Angostura bitters - 3 bottles
- Cane sugar - 2 kilograms
- Honey - 2 kilograms
- Fresh limes - 12 kilograms
- Fresh lemons - 10 kilograms
- Oranges - 8 kilogram
- Grapefruits - 5 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 5 kilogram
- Fresh mint - 20 bunches
- Fresh basil - 12 bunches
- Cherries - 4 jars
- Olives - 6 jars
- Cocktail onions - 4 jars
- Ice cubes - 120 kilograms
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Mixed nuts - 5 kilograms
- Mixed olives - 5 kilograms
- Cheese Cubes - 6 kilograms
- Grapes - 5 kilograms
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Hummus - 3 kilograms
- Vegetable sticks - 6 kilograms
- Wraps - 80 pieces
- Chicken breast - 5 kilograms
- Falafel - 4 kilograms
- Mayonnaise - 2 liter
- Ketchup - 2 liters
- Salt - 1 kilogram
- Black pepper - 500 grams
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Sugar - 2 kilograms
- Still water - 10 crates
- Sparkling water - 8 crates
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Cocktail straws - 500 pieces
- Cocktail picks - 500 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 50 pieces
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
Tips
- Plan for two to three drinks per guest during the first hour, then adjust the total to the festival’s duration and drinking pace. Buy mixers and garnishes with a small buffer so one popular recipe does not stop service.
- Allow at least two glasses per guest when glassware will not be washed during the event. Use separate glasses for highballs, wine-based drinks, martinis and shots rather than relying on one type for every recipe.
- Arrange ice and refrigeration before shopping for fresh ingredients. Keep coolers available for backup stock, and collect or produce enough ice on the day so drinks can be served without warming bottles or fruit.
- Give each cocktail station its own shaker, jigger, bar spoon, strainer, cutting board, knife and garnish tongs. Sharing one set between stations creates queues as soon as several recipes are ordered at once.
- Buy serving and cleanup supplies at the same time as the drinks: plates for snacks, cutlery, serving boards, storage bins and waste bins. Prepare fruit, garnishes and syrups before guests arrive and label containers clearly.
Frequently asked questions
- How many glasses do I need for a cocktail festival?
- Plan on two glasses per guest if there is no washing service, plus around 10% extra for breakage and misplaced glasses. Add more if guests will hold different drinks at the same time.
- How much ice should I buy for a cocktail festival?
- A practical starting point is 1 to 1.5 kilograms of ice per guest for a multi-hour event, including chilling bottles and filling shakers. Increase the amount if the venue is warm or drinks are served over ice.
- When should I prepare cocktail garnishes?
- Cut sturdy fruit and prepare syrups one day ahead, then store them covered and chilled. Cut delicate garnishes on the event day, ideally within four to six hours before service.
- What bar equipment does each cocktail station need?
- Each station should have at least one shaker, jigger, strainer, bar spoon, measuring cup, pour spout and garnish tongs. Add a cutting board, chef’s or paring knife and storage containers so staff do not need to leave the station during service.
Start this plan in Lizzt
Every task and item on this page, ready in your own event. Invite people, split the work, and see who has done what.
Organize this event for free with LizztOrganize for free and invite your contacts!