AJABU Cocktail & Spirits Festival

AJABU

ADJECTIVE Swahili word meaning amazing, marvellous, fantastic, wondrous or incredible

Example: “Tamasha la ajabu la cocktail!” meaning "Amazing cocktail festival!"

AJABU is a bi-annual, week-long spirits-and-cocktail festival held in Joburg and Cape Town. In March and November, bartenders from some of the finest bars around the world are flown into the country and partnered with local bars, where they'll join forces to collaborate and create bespoke cocktail menus that celebrate the magic and diversity of South African ingredients and talent.

These specialised menus will be available for your sipping pleasure for 2 nights only in each city at the local partner bars, with global and local bartenders working side by side in fun, exciting and totally unique pop-ups, aka AJABU MASHUPS!

See our Joburg and Cape Town events pages for details.

In addition to these mashups, which are open to the public, there are several other trade events during the week, including tastings, seminars and other activations.

If you work in the bar industry and are eager to attend our trade events, please get in touch. Contacts are on our website.

We'd also love to connect with you on Instagram!

AJABU Cocktail & Spirits Festival is proudly sponsored by several fine brands, including Campari Academy, Mijenta Tequila, William Grant & Sons, Bayab Gin, Reàl Ingredients, Bacardí Rum, Patrón Tequila, D'usse Cognac, the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and the South African Brandy Foundation.