Prepare for the best news you'll hear all week. The Martini Expo will return for its second edition in Chicago from September 13-20, 2026, expanding from a two-day format to a weeklong series of events across the city. The event is presented by The Mix, the publication founded by journalist Robert Simonson and Mary Kate Murray, and will include tastings, seminars, dinners, and industry programming centered on the Martini. Organizers said the expanded format is intended to bring together industry professionals and the public for a concentrated series of events focused on the Martini and its role in cocktail culture.
Tickets are now available for select marquee events, including the Martini Mixer on September 19 at Hawksmoor Chicago and a full Seminar Day with a closing happy hour on September 20 at Salon 61 in River North. Additional event tickets are expected to be released at a later date.
The Chicago edition follows the event’s debut in New York last year, which drew national media attention and participation from bartenders, spirits producers, and industry professionals. The 2026 program promises to build on that format with expanded programming and a broader Chicago-wide footprint.
“The Martini is the greatest cocktail of all time" - Robert Simonson
"The" Martini Master himself, Robert Simonson. All photos taken by Shannon Sturgis.
Programming for the Chicago event will include the Martini Mixer, featuring a rotating group of bartenders identified as “Martini Masters.” Participants will include bartenders from Chicago and other markets, representing bars and spirits brands. A kickoff dinner with Martini pairings is also planned, with the host restaurant to be announced.
The September 20 Seminar Day will include a series of panel discussions and presentations covering topics such as the history of the Martini in Chicago, the development of American gin, variations of the cocktail, and the role of vermouth. Additional programming will include brand showcases and a book-focused component featuring author appearances and publications related to cocktail history.
New additions for the Chicago event include a series of ticketed dinners hosted at restaurants across the city and a guided bus tour visiting cocktail bars, led by Simonson himself.
According to Simonson, “Last year’s New York event proved that the Martini not only deserves a convention of its own, it can sustain one. But the Martini doesn’t belong to just one city.”
Tickets are available now at OpenTable for marquee events, with additional events becoming available as they are announced.
Simonson and martini drinkers. All photos taken by Shannon Sturgis.
Gin or vodka? You know the right answer. All photos taken by Shannon Sturgis.
A Closer Look
Prepare for the best news you'll hear all week. The Martini Expo will return for its second edition in Chicago from September 13-20, 2026, expanding from a two-day format to a weeklong series of events across the city. The event is presented by The Mix, the publication founded by journalist Robert Simonson and Mary Kate Murray, and will include tastings, seminars, dinners, and industry programming centered on the Martini. Organizers said the expanded format is intended to bring together industry professionals and the public for a concentrated series of events focused on the Martini and its role in cocktail culture.
Tickets are now available for select marquee events, including the Martini Mixer on September 19 at Hawksmoor Chicago and a full Seminar Day with a closing happy hour on September 20 at Salon 61 in River North. Additional event tickets are expected to be released at a later date.
The Chicago edition follows the event’s debut in New York last year, which drew national media attention and participation from bartenders, spirits producers, and industry professionals. The 2026 program promises to build on that format with expanded programming and a broader Chicago-wide footprint.
Programming for the Chicago event will include the Martini Mixer, featuring a rotating group of bartenders identified as “Martini Masters.” Participants will include bartenders from Chicago and other markets, representing bars and spirits brands. A kickoff dinner with Martini pairings is also planned, with the host restaurant to be announced.
The September 20 Seminar Day will include a series of panel discussions and presentations covering topics such as the history of the Martini in Chicago, the development of American gin, variations of the cocktail, and the role of vermouth. Additional programming will include brand showcases and a book-focused component featuring author appearances and publications related to cocktail history.
New additions for the Chicago event include a series of ticketed dinners hosted at restaurants across the city and a guided bus tour visiting cocktail bars, led by Simonson himself.
According to Simonson, “Last year’s New York event proved that the Martini not only deserves a convention of its own, it can sustain one. But the Martini doesn’t belong to just one city.”
Tickets are available now at OpenTable for marquee events, with additional events becoming available as they are announced.
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4.6 (1,120 reviews)
The Hawksmoor 500 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654
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