Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Chill cocktails
‘Apres-ski’ event won’t have snow, but promises fun.
Soon, snow-capped mountains won’t be the only places people can enjoy an après-ski. The French term refers to social activities that occur after a day of skiing — e.g., drinking. Après at the Beach co-founder Laura Albers can’t bring snow to South Florida, but she’ll make sure post-skiing activities are in abundance at the three-day cocktail festival taking place Friday through Sunday in Delray Beach.
“We started this business five years ago, called Après Ski Cocktail Classic in Aspen,” Albers says. “We were [kicking] around the idea of doing a warm-weather version of Après. … Through [our sponsors], we created this event called Après on the Beach, which is this same kind of concept of people who go skiing and then meet up with friends and hang out. It’s the same kind of crowd that goes to the beach or yachts or boats and then meets up for what we call an ‘elevated happy hour.’ ”
Most of the activities will take place at the Delray Beach Marriott, including an Aspen-themed cocktail party Friday night with snow machines, frozen drinks and music by DJ Vinny Vinsane, who was a contestant on “The Bachelorette.”
On Saturday, the Après All Day party will include cocktails by the pool and beach activities such as yoga, surfing and beach Olympics. There will also be micro-seminars throughout the day.
“The seminars are quick little gather-rounds, interactive seminars,” Albers says.
She says the 20-minute sessions will be “a little bit of a spectacle,” with mixologists performing tricks while participants learn to make drinks.
Longer, more formal seminars will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Death or Glory Bar, 116 NE Sixth Ave. in Delray Beach.
More cocktail tastings will take place at the Tikihula dance party with DJ Troubles at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Marriott, Albers says people will be able to sample spirits from 24 spirit sponsors. A VIP room will offer a selection of limited-edition brands.
On Sunday, the Après Beach pub crawl and cocktail competition will go from 2 to 6 p.m. along Atlantic Avenue. Seven bars will participate, including 32 East, Death or Glory, SandBar and Deck 84. Participants will get a ticket to taste each of seven cocktails, and will use social media to vote for their favorite drink. Albers says each bar will use a different brand of liquor, so “people will get to try all kinds of different drinks. There will be a variety of frozen drinks, mixed drinks [and] neat pours.”