Manhattan Cocktail Classic Announces All-Star Musical Lineup at Kick-Off Gala on May 9

NEW YORK, April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, New York's peerless multi-day celebration of cocktails and culture, today announces the star-studded musical lineup slated for the festival's much anticipated opening night Gala at The New York Public Library on May 9. Limited tickets are still available via the Classic's website, www.manhattancocktailclassic.com.

Each year to date, the Gala has served up a truly "only in New York" experience, featuring tens of thousands of artisanal cocktails from scores of world-renowned bartenders, with live performances adding intrigue and ambiance to an already monumental event. But at this year's Gala, the star-studded musical talent will rival the libations for center stage. GRAMMY Award-winners Big Boi and DJ Questlove will headline in the GREY GOOSE® Vodka ballroom, celebrating the launch of the super-premium vodka brand's newest flavored vodka, GREY GOOSE® Le Melon, with a glittering masquerade ball, while famed DJ duo AndrewAndrew take center stage in the Hangar 1 Vodka's "Craft in a Glass" lounge. Local talents Herbert Holler, Honey & Vinyl, and the Handsome Man Band will round out the evening's musical lineup.

Naturally, the drinks of the evening will be keeping step with these extraordinary performers. Over sixty bars will be serving up hand-crafted libations featuring the handiwork of some of the world's greatest bartending talent.  Taste NY, the state-led initiative to support local spirits production, will transform the third floor into a local distillery featuring 34 craft producers from the Empire State. The night will be capped by a midnight toast celebrating the festival's fifth anniversary, complete with boozy cake for all, from local dessert speakeasy Spirited Brooklyn.

"We've set the bar pretty high for ourselves when it comes to throwing epic parties," says Lesley Townsend Duval, the festival's founder and executive director. "So for our fifth birthday, we really had to pull out all the stops. From the DJ's to the bartenders to the brands to the bands—this year's event is going to be one hell of an evening, if I may so immodestly say."

Of course the Gala is just the beginning of the festivities. The morning after kicks off a two-day trade conference, the Industry Invitational, as well as four days of consumer events. Conference registration and tickets are both available via the festival website at www.manhattancocktailclassic.com.

About the Manhattan Cocktail Classic
Part festival, part fete, part conference, part cocktail party—the Manhattan Cocktail Classic is an annual celebration of the myriad points of intersection between cocktails and culture. With nearly 100 events spread across five days and three boroughs, the Classic offers a vast array of unique experiences to enthusiasts and professionals alike, expanding the very definition of what constitutes a "cocktail event." The fifth anniversary festival will take place on May 9-13, 2014. Cocktail fans should mark their calendars. Tickets are now on sale.  For additional information, please visit www.manhattancocktailclassic.com. Follow the Classic on Twitter at @cocktailclassic and "like" us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ManhattanCocktailClassic.

Media Contacts:
Hanna Lee or Jen Neugeboren
Hanna Lee Communications, Inc.
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SOURCE Manhattan Cocktail Classic