This September, the heart of the Las Vegas Strip turns into a playground for serious drinkers and food lovers.
From September 24–27, Bellagio, ARIA, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and Park MGM will host the inaugural Drink Las Vegas, a multi-day beverage and spirits festival presented by MGM Resorts International in collaboration with experiential agency a21.
Expect more than 50 events designed to explore the balance, craft, and synergy between drink and dish. The lineup mixes high-energy parties, intimate chef-and-mixologist dinners, brand tastings, education sessions, and VIP experiences, drawing renowned chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, celebrities, and industry voices to the four resorts.
“DRINK Las Vegas is all about celebrating the innovators and leaders who are pushing the beverage world forward,” said Ryan Abboushi, President of Entertainment for MGM Resorts. “We’re bringing together incredible talent—from global drink visionaries to chefs who truly honor the craft—to spark conversations, share ideas and highlight the creativity happening in this space. We’re excited to shine a spotlight on cocktail culture in a big way, and there’s no better place to do it than at our resorts in Las Vegas.”
BUILD YOUR EXPERIENCE: NEW TICKETING PACKAGES
The Standard Pass (GA) and Select Pass (VIP) provide broad festival access, while Signature Tastings packages allow guests to add on three premium individual experiences at a reduced rate.
- Standard Pass (GA) – $1,530
- Select Pass (VIP) – $2,185
- Signature Tastings Package (GA) – $785 — Three Signature Tastings
- Signature Tastings Package (VIP) – $975 — Three Signature Tastings
Additionally, industry professionals can access the festival through The Inner Circle pass at $600.
View and purchase all ticket package options:
Drink Las Vegas Passes
NEWLY ANNOUNCED TALENT AND PROGRAMMING
NEW TALENT
Opening Night with Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Special Guest Shaquille O’Neal
Drink Las Vegas kicks off with a marquee Opening Night hosted by legendary chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, joined by NBA Hall of Famer and cultural icon Shaquille O’Neal. The evening sets the tone for the weekend ahead at the intersection of food, hospitality, and entertainment.
Learn more about Opening Night
NEW CULINARY EXPERIENCES: CHEF-DRIVEN LUNCHES
Marumi: A Latin-Japenese Inspired Lunch, hosted by Michelle Bernstein, Diego Oka and Julia Momosé
Saturday Sept 26, 12 pm at Sadelle’s (Bellagio)
Learn more about the Raw & Refined Lunch
Elements of Agave Lunch with Daniela Soto-Innes, Laura & Sayat Ozyilmaz
Daniela Soto-Innes — Mexico City-born chef and the youngest recipient ever named World’s Best Female Chef by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants — joins husband-and-wife duo Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz for a multi-course menu inspired by the flavors and traditions of Latin America, paired with agave-forward pours.
Learn more about Elements of Agave
NEW WINEMAKER’S DINNERS — EXTREMELY LIMITED AVAILABILITY
View all Winemaker’s Table events
The Winemaker’s Table: An Intimate Dinner hosted by Opus One
An exceptionally limited number of guests will join the Opus One winemaker for an intimate dinner featuring Carbone classics and distinguished Opus One wines — with the winemaker seated at the table throughout the evening.
The Winemaker’s Table: An Intimate Dinner hosted by Hundred Acre’s Jayson Woodbridge and Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Hundred Acre winemaker Jayson Woodbridge host an exceptionally private evening. Hundred Acre’s highly sought-after Napa Cabernets are paired with a Jean-Georges menu in an experience available to only a handful of guests.
NEW PANELS, SEMINARS & BRAND EXPERIENCES
The Jon Taffer Podcast: Live from Drink Las Vegas
Restaurateur, TV personality, and hospitality authority Jon Taffer brings his podcast to life from the DLV stage. Expect candid industry stories, hard-earned lessons, and sharp perspectives drawn from more than 30 years in the business.
Guess the Glass: A Blind Tasting Experience
Momofuku Master Sommelier Michaël Engelmann and Kabawa sommelier Eitan Spivak host a lively, competitive blind tasting. Guests move through curated wine flights and an “A or B” elimination challenge — with prizes for the last palates standing.
Rated 100: An Exceptional Wine Tasting with Nicholas Walters
Eleven Madison Park sommelier Nick Walters guides guests through a rare tasting of wines that have earned a perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker, spanning celebrated vintages, renowned regions, and distinctive grape varieties.
House of Pernod
A premium hospitality experience showcasing Pernod’s luxury portfolio through immersive storytelling, curated tastings, and interactive brand engagements featuring Absolut x TABASCO®, Elyx Single Estate Vodka, Código 1530 Tequila, Jefferson’s Bourbon, Perrier-Jouët Champagne, and Château Sainte Marguerite Rosé.
Brett Friedman, CEO and founder of a21, put it simply: “Where else but Las Vegas. With our partners at MGM, we have identified that the liquor industry has an insatiable demand for a premium focused libation initiative, which combines an industry and trade emphasis with a consumer fusion to indulge in.”
Tickets are available at drinklasvegas.com. Guests must be 21 or older. The event spans multiple venues across the four resorts, making it easy to move between tastings, dinners, and late-night activations without leaving the center Strip.
For cocktail enthusiasts, industry pros, and anyone who believes a great drink deserves an equally thoughtful plate, Drink Las Vegas arrives as a new standard for how beverage culture gets celebrated in the city that never stops pouring.
About Drink Las Vegas
Drink Las Vegas, from MGM Resorts International and a21, is a premium festival celebrating the intersection of mixology, wine, spirits and culinary innovation, set against the backdrop of the world’s most iconic hospitality destination. Bringing together acclaimed bartenders, sommeliers, chefs and industry leaders, the multi-day festival, will feature tastings, intimate dining experiences, educational panels and more across Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Park MGM. For more information, please visit drinklasvegas.com and follow along on Instagram at
@drinklasvegas.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global gaming and entertainment company with national and international destinations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 31 unique hotel and gaming destinations globally, including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. The Company’s 50/50 venture, BetMGM, LLC, offers sports betting and online gaming in North America through market-leading brands, including BetMGM and partypoker, and the Company’s subsidiary, LV Lion Holding Limited, offers sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands in several jurisdictions throughout Europe and Brazil. The Company is currently pursuing targeted expansion in Asia through an integrated resort development in Japan. Through its
Focused on What Matters philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make a bigger difference in the lives of its employees, guests and in the communities where it operates. The global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies®. For more information, please visit us at mgmresorts.com. Please also connect with us @MGMResortsIntl on X as well as Facebook and Instagram.
About a21
a21 is a full-service live experience agency, specializing in event operations, production, marketing, corporate sales, and brand activations for live experiences. Founded in 2006, a21’s portfolio includes internationally recognized events and festivals in South Florida and throughout the US: Food Network South Beach & New York City Wine & Food Festivals, Sunfest, Palm Beach Wine & Food Festival, Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival, Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival, Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Heritage Fire, and Whiskies of the World National Tours, AMP’s suite of Art