20 Years of BCB: Two Decades of Bar Culture, New Perspectives and What Comes Next
From 12 to 14 October 2026, Bar Convent Berlin (BCB), organised by RX, will celebrate its 20th anniversary – looking back on two decades of bar and beverage culture while bringing fresh perspectives on the future of the industry.
With its newly designed Education Programme structured around three pillars – Heads – Inspire Thinking, Hearts – Create Understanding and Tails – Enable Action – BCB is placing an even greater focus on exchange, dialogue and practical knowledge.
At the heart of the new concept is the Embassy Stage, BCB’s main stage and the central hub of the Education Programme, creating space for learning, encounters and discussion. Rather than maintaining the traditional distance between stage and audience, the concept is designed to encourage proximity and personal exchange. Directly alongside it, the Embassy Bar will be run by FOCO from Barcelona in 2026. Together, the stage and bar make the new BCB Embassy a place where education and the bar experience come together.
The anniversary will also introduce further formats that look both back and ahead. With Memory Lane, the shared history of BCB and the bar community gets a space of its own, while selected Round Table sessions will provide an opportunity for more focused discussion around current industry challenges.
Memory Lane: 20 Years of BCB and the Bar Community
Two decades of BCB also mean two decades of developments, encounters and stories from the international bar world. Memory Lane brings this shared history to life at BCB 2026. Combining an interactive exhibition and bar, the anniversary space invites the community to come together, revisit defining moments from the past 20 years and raise a glass to the occasion.
The bar itself will also reflect the evolution of the past two decades. A selection of drinks will represent different eras in recent bar and cocktail history, offering a taste of how drinking culture has evolved over the years.
Two long-standing companions of BCB are joining as partners and curators of Memory Lane: Mixology Magazine, an important media partner of BCB for many years, and Bar-Fabric, Brown-Forman’s bar programme, which brings the bar community together through a variety of formats and encourages exchange across the industry.
“20 years of BCB don’t just represent 20 years of trade show history, but also 20 years of change in an industry that continues to reinvent itself. With Memory Lane, we want to look back together with our community and celebrate the people, ideas and developments that have shaped this journey. At the same time, BCB has always been about looking ahead, bringing different perspectives together and creating space to discuss the topics shaping our industry today. That sense of exchange has been part of BCB from the very beginning.”
– Petra Lassahn, Director Bar Convent Berlin
Education: From Koji to Conflict Management
The breadth of topics currently shaping the industry is also reflected throughout the Education Programme. On stage at the BCB Embassy, Ashoka Wallace, Lorcan O’Duffy and Angelica Schwarzkopf will explore the importance of neurodiversity for successful hospitality teams in Monday’s session “The NeuroConvergence is Upon Us”, looking at how different ways of thinking and different abilities can strengthen creativity, innovation and collaboration. On Tuesday, Elliot Ball will turn his attention to handling conflict in the everyday bar environment with “Why We Fight: The Frontline Bartender’s Arsenal to Mastering Conflict”.
Practical skills are equally important. In the workshop “Koji – Japanese Tradition in Modern Cocktails”, Alex Tatarynau, Igor Moźuch and Markus Shimizu bring Japanese tradition together with modern cocktail culture. On Wednesday, Matt Hastings explores how drinks and hospitality can be captured effectively on a smartphone in “The Handy Guide to Handyfotografie”.
The Park Street University adds an entrepreneurial perspective to the programme. In “Icons Deconstructed: A Brand Building Masterclass for Entrepreneurs”, Benji Purslow, Advocacy Director at Heaven Hill, shares insights into building brands. The BCB Tastings also take a deeper dive into individual categories: Ian Burrell looks at white rum through the lens of the Daiquiri, Betty Kupsa puts tequila centre stage in “Tequila Tales: Nectar of the Gods”, while Konstantinos Gkionis explores the stories behind whisk(e)y – and its potential in cocktails.
BCB Round Tables: In Conversation with the Industry
The programme is complemented by Round Table sessions in the BCB Lounge, aimed specifically at industry leaders and experts as well as members of the media. Together with international trade publications, BCB will bring experts around the table on all three days to discuss current topics and challenges facing the industry.
On 12 October, DRINKS Magazin will open the series with “Spirituosenbranche unter Druck – Zwischen aktuellen Herausforderungen und neuen Perspektiven für GFGH und Barkultur”, exploring current pressures and new perspectives for the spirits trade and bar culture. On 13 October, Bargiornale and Ristoranti will turn the spotlight on Italian hospitality with “The Italian Art of Hospitality – from Grand Hotels to the World’s Best Bars”. The final Round Table on 14 October will focus on the next generation, with FIZZZ Magazin bringing industry representatives together to discuss career paths and how the drinks industry can support emerging talent.
Bar Convent Berlin will take place from 12 to 14 October 2026 at Exhibition Centre Berlin. The ticket shop is now open.
Media Contact:
Sara Bochinger
BCB Press Office, RX Germany
Johannstraße 1, 40476 Düsseldorf, Germany
Tel: +49 211 90191 249, Email: sara.bochinger@rxglobal.com
About BCB
BCB is one of the leading international trade shows for the bar and beverage industry. Every year, this is where a veritable who’s who of the German and European bar and beverage industry gets together to make new contacts, find out about the latest product innovations and attend educational seminars. www.barconvent.com
About RX
RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 41 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.rxglobal.com.
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