The Montréal Cocktail Fest 2025: Interview with Kevin Demers

Dear gentlemen connoisseurs of cocktails, we have some exciting news for you. As we know that many of you are on Gentologie and that you are passionate about cocktails, we are thrilled to inform you that the Montréal Cocktail Fest is back for a second edition from May 18 to 21.

The concept for the event emerged from the mind of Kevin Demers, creator of the Northern Hospitality Group, which operates Le Coldroom, El Pequeño, and Bar Bello. Additionally, he serves as the General Manager and driving force behind the Montréal Cocktail Fest. He was also featured in Gentologie magazine Issue 2. He teamed up with Gregory J. Buda, Director of Education for the same group and formerly of Dead Rabbit in New York. 

The Montréal Cocktail Fest 2025

I met with Mr. Demers at Bar Bello, located on Saint-Laurent Boulevard north of Saint-Zotique, to discuss the 2025 edition of the Montréal Cocktail fest. Here’s a summary of our interview.

The Montréal Cocktail Fest: The Genesis

Normand Boulanger (NB): First, where did the Montréal Cocktail Fest project come from? 

Kevin Demers (KD): The first edition took place in 2024 under the impetus of several players (bar owners, restaurateurs, etc.) in the industry. We wanted to organize an event to bring together the cocktail community from all over the world. Our objective is not only to establish Montréal on the cocktail map, but also to do the same for Canada.

Another thing is that Montréal has always been seen as a gastronomic destination (see our article on the Michelin Guide here), but less so as a cocktail destination, and that’s what we want to put forward with the Montréal Cocktail Fest. When you look at the cocktail side of things, they’re everywhere; in bars, restaurants, hotels, airplanes, non-alcoholic events, non-alcoholic cocktail boutiques too, and even in the SAQ with its ready-to-drink cocktails. So there are all these options in terms of cocktails, and then what we want with the Montréal Cocktail Fest is to raise the bar and put the spotlight on the cocktail side of things in Montréal. 

NB: Who is your target clientele? General public, cocktail industry?

KD: We want to include everyone. A mix of everything, we really want to celebrate the cocktail side, then show Mr. and Mrs. Everyone how you can make cocktails and show them the behind-the-scenes of the cocktail industry.

We want to show them the career opportunities in cocktails and encourage them to explore them. There are a lot of people who work in our industry because they had curiosity, and they discovered it through our companies. That’s why we want to cultivate that curiosity so that people know that our industry is accessible to everyone. We want people to understand that it’s an open environment, unlike in the ’80s and ’90s, when it was frowned upon to work in it. Those days are over: it’s been more than 20 years, and we’ve evolved. 

NB: So, people can come and see you without any problem. There’s no fear of walking into a bar. 

KD: Bars are safe spaces for all communities, and it’s really important for us to integrate everyone. 

NB: But it’s refreshing to see this openness when, from the outside, sometimes you might think it’s a bit of a closed environment. 

KD: Yes, everyone is welcome. 

The Montréal Cocktail Fest: The program

With the second edition of the Montréal Cocktail Fest taking place from May 18 to 21, 2025, I took the opportunity to ask Mr. Demers if there were any events not to be missed. 

NB: Getting back to the essence of the week, are there any events, in your opinion, that are not to be missed?

KD: Yes! Honestly, just the exhibition, it’s going to be really incredible! We’ll have over twenty different spirits, it’ll be really high-end; it’s a far cry from the Grande Dégustation de Montréal booth. It’s something you can find at the Athens Bar Show (https://www.athensbarshow.gr/), it’s their voice, it’s their presentation. We’ll discover the spirit behind their spirits.   There will also be tastings and seminars. All this will take place at the PHI. And the price is $50 for the bracelet, which includes the spirits tastings (a small supplement for food will be charged). 

On the other side, at Galerie Maël, we’re offering free coffee and cocktails at Café Bello with the Campari team. 

There are also themed dinners (A Taste of Normandy with 30/40, Barbados Tasting Dinner, A Curious Dinner with Hendrick’s etc.).  

Then there are 18 events taking place at any given time in bars across Montréal. 

NB: Speaking of spirits, has the ban on American spirits complicated your work? Whether in terms of sponsorship or otherwise? 

A little bit in terms of offering American spirits, but apart from that no. For sponsorship, there are many other products in the portfolios of the agencies that expressed interest this year. For example, Tourism Barbados is bringing their products, including the famous Barbadian rums. But also a chef and a mixologist to highlight their culture. It’s precisely this aspect of cocktail culture that needs to be highlighted at the Montréal Cocktail Fest. 

NB: It’s important to import culture from elsewhere to help people discover it. It’s not just the local person who introduces you to a spirit from elsewhere, it’s really the whole experience. 

Also, what is your biggest challenge as the entrepreneur behind the Montréal Cocktail Fest?

KD: The biggest challenge for me is to produce an event with all these different experiences: the exhibition, the dinners, the seminars, the tastings, the pop-ups and so on.

NB: Not to mention looking after your bars and opening the terraces, etc.? 

KD: Yes, it’s a lot, but it’s also fun because I know what’s going to come with it. We want Montréal Cocktail Fest to be THE cocktail festival in Canada.  

NB: Thanks Kevin, and we look forward to seeing you at Montréal Cocktail Fest.

Discover the different events of the Montréal Cocktail Fest

There are also maps and music lists of the various bars and events during the week.

Calendar 

• Sunday May 18  
• Monday May 19  
• Tuesday May 20
• Wednesday May 21

Visit the website to know everything about the Montréal Cocktail Fest 2025