AAPI Cocktail Week closing party

SF AAPI Cocktail Week begins on Sunday, May 24, with an opening party at Pacific Cocktail Haven in downtown San Francisco. The event runs through May 28 and centers on guest shifts, pop-ups, tastings and parties tied to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Organizers say this is the fourth year of the San Francisco program, which highlights AAPI bartenders, bar owners and hospitality workers. The week lands over Memorial Day weekend and extends into the following Thursday, with events scheduled at Pacific Cocktail Haven, Splash in Mission Bay, Press Club and other venues. ### When does the week start, and what is the first event? Sunday, May 24, is the opening night for the 2026 edition, according to the event listing and the festival’s website. Pacific Cocktail Haven, at 550 Sutter St., is set to host the opening party from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. with guest appearances from Bar Us and Penrose, two bars identified on the event page as ranked in Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. (eventbrite.com) Kevin Diedrich, co-founder of the week and owner of Pacific Cocktail Haven, told 7x7 that the event is “going a little bigger” this year. Diedrich said the opening party would use two bars at Pacific Cocktail Haven and include Penrose from Malaysia and Bar Us from Bangkok alongside the home team. ### Which venues and parties stand out on the schedule? Monday, May 25, includes a masterclass with Bar Us at Kona’s and other trade-facing events, according to the official program. (eventbrite.com) Tuesday, May 26, includes the Pandan Party at Pacific Cocktail Haven and “Letters to a Young Bartender,” another scheduled session on the festival calendar. (7x7.com) Thursday, May 28, is set up as the closing night on the public schedule, with the Night Market at Splash in Mission Bay running from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The official event page calls Splash the week’s “marquee event” and says participating brands will be paired with more than 25 Bay Area bartenders for drinks, food, music and performances. A later “Magnums Only Afterparty” is scheduled at Pacific Cocktail Haven from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. (sfaapicocktailweek.com) ### Who is participating besides local San Francisco bars? Bar Us and Penrose are among the international names on the schedule, and 7x7 reported that bartenders from Night Hawk in Singapore and Alice Cheongdam in Seoul are also part of the 2026 program. The week also includes a returning double pop-up at True Laurel and Trick Dog featuring Alice Cheongdam, 52 Remedies, Bar Leather Apron, Nickel City, Laowai and Thunderbolt, according to the official event listing. (sfaapicocktailweek.com) Nicolas Torres, bar director at True Laurel, told 7x7 that the collaboration builds on a prior block-party format. Torres said the earlier event was “a hugely successful and communal way to bring people together,” and said the group was happy to return when asked again this year. ### Is the featured event really a Sunday closing party? The public 2026 schedule does not show a closing party on Sunday, May 24. (7x7.com) The official site and ticket listings show Sunday as the opening party, while the latest listed finale-style public event is the Night Market at Splash on Thursday, May 28, followed by an afterparty at Pacific Cocktail Haven later that night. The San Francisco Standard’s Memorial Day roundup linked AAPI Cocktail Week as one of the weekend’s featured events, but the accessible event pages indicate the festival starts on May 24 rather than ends that day. ### Where can people find tickets and the latest lineup? Eventbrite is selling passes for the 2026 SF AAPI Cocktail Week, and the organizer listed there is Pacific Cocktail Haven. (eventbrite.com) The festival’s website also carries the event-by-event calendar, including times, venues and participating bars. Thursday, May 28, is the last day currently shown on the public 2026 schedule, with Night Market at Splash from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the afterparty at Pacific Cocktail Haven beginning at 9 p.m. (sfstandard.com) Tickets and access details are posted through the festival site and Eventbrite listings. (sfaapicocktailweek.com) (eventbrite.com)