AJABU, Africa’s leading Pan African bi-annual cocktail and spirits festival, is back for its second consecutive year at participating bars in each city on the following dates: Joburg 9–12 March and Cape Town 12–16 March 2025.
The AJABU Cocktail and Spirits Festival 2025 connects top global and local bars in extraordinary pop-ups and masterclasses.
This year, AJABU brings an even richer lineup of acclaimed international bars, the groundbreaking AJABU Scholarship Program, supporting African bartenders with elite hospitality training. Experience the magic where African flavours meet global expertise — be part of AJABU’s vibrant bar revolution!
- Co-founded by Colin Asare-Appiah (Bar World 100 Most Influential Figures 2023, Co-Author Black Mixcellence, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s 2024 Visionary Award Recipient) and Mark Talbot Holmes (Founder of U’Luvka Vodka), AJABU – meaning ‘wondrous’ or ‘miraculous’ – is Africa’s largest, bi-annual cocktail and spirits festival. AJABU not only shines a light on Africa’s hospitality industry but also fosters connections across the continent’s bar industry, while building an international community of bars and beverage professionals through collaborations between global and local bars.
Bartenders from some of the finest bars around the world are flown into South Africa, including Panda and Son (Edinburgh), Tommy’s (San Francisco), Front/Back and Soul Lounge (Accra), Library Bar (Toronto), Hero (Nairobi), Sips (Barcelona), NoMad’s Side Hustle (London) and Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal).
Participating in AJABU’s signature ‘bar mashups,’ these renowned global bars will partner with the following Johannesburg and Cape Town institutions to collaborate and create delicious cocktails celebrating the incredible diversity of African ingredients and talent while making a magical and memorable experience for all attendees. Get a free ticket on Quicket, then join the fun at “bar mashups” at participating bars like Sin+Tax, Smoking Kills, Saint, Obscura, Cause Effect, Kloof Street House, The Drinkery, Hacienda, Tjing Tjing, Fable, Talking to Strangers, House of Machines, and ANTHM.
In addition to AJABU’s bar mashups, the team will host a series of seminars and masterclasses for cocktail aficionados, bartenders, and beverage industry professionals alike. These educational sessions will touch on topics such as the representation of women in the bar industry, upcycling and sustainability of cocktail ingredients, and the ongoing rise of agave spirits.
These seminars will be led by bartender and spirits industry titans like Steve Olson (Del Maguey Mezcal and BAR Academy), Julio Bermejo (Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant), Simone Caporale (Sips), Kate Boushel (Atwater Cocktail Club and Winner of the 2024 Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award), Leo Robitschek (Side Hustle), Anna Sebastian (Celebrate Her and Tales of the Cocktail Committee Member), Amma Mensah (Reign Rum), Gareth Howells (Bacardi, Dewar’s), and more. Additionally, AJABU’s fan-favorite seminar, Africa Rising, will be returning for its second year, featuring panelists Kojo Aidoo (Accra Bar Show, Front/Back), Richie Barrow (Kenya Bartender Week, Hero), Kurt Schlecter (Cause Effect), and Alexander Quest (Abidjan Cocktail Week).
Launched in tandem with its November festival last year, the AJABU Scholarship Program will be returning this March with another 50 scholarships, continuing its mission to uplift the African bar community through educational, hospitality-focused courses. Educational institutions, brands, businesses, and individuals have once again come together to make this initiative possible, whether through direct donations or the purchase of courses, which have been provided by the World Spirits Education Trust, Professional Bar Training, and Edinburgh Whisky Academy. The scholarships are open to African-based applicants who work in the drinks industry, with 70% of the grants allocated to women – supporting one of AJABU’s core missions of increasing female representation in the bar industry.
“Words cannot express how rewarding it is to see the bars and beverage professionals unite at AJABU and continue their partnerships beyond Africa,” says Asare-Appiah. “This lasting camaraderie and support is exactly what we envisioned when we started AJABU, and it’s undoubtedly amplifying Africa’s hospitality industry.”
“In only one year, AJABU has already proven – in my opinion – that it deserves a spot on the list of the greatest cocktail festivals in the world. You can be sure that I intend to be back every year…if they’ll have me!” says Steve Olson, Co-Founder of Del Maguey Mezcal, Stray Dog Gin, J. Rieger & Co Whiskey, and BAR Academy.
AJABU will host the Summer Edition of the festival in November 2025.
For more information, please visit www.ajabufestival.com or follow along at @ajabufestival.
