Ever since the 80’s, when I had to get up at 3 a.m. to report the news, coffee has been a mainstay in my life. I need it to get going in the morning, and I have a nice cuppa Joe in the afternoon to pick me up as well.  Coming up New York City’s flagship coffee event, The New York Coffee Festival, will be celebrating the burgeoning specialty coffee scene in New York City for its 4th consecutive year. With exceptional coffee, as well as food, cocktails, live music and art, it’s an un-missable event for coffee lovers of all levels. This celebration of community and culture will be returning to the Metropolitan Pavilion from October 12th-14th. Whether you’re a beginner, coffee aficionado, self-confessed coffee geek, or key industry stakeholder, they are curating their most exciting and immersive program yet.

This year’s event will include over 100 innovative exhibitors, including: Alpha Dominche, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Devocion, Coffee Of Grace, Five Elephant, Gotham Coffee Roasters, Joe Coffee Company, Bluestone Lane, and so many more. The three-day festival will also feature the Coffee Masters – New York barista championship, The Lab program featuring an exciting line-up of interactive demonstrations, educational workshops, talks and tastings, the Coffee Music Project, and the Coffee Art Project, as well as:

–Coffee Masters – New York, judged by a panel of leading industry figureheads and featuring the official espresso machine sponsor Slayer Espresso, is a fast-paced knockout battle format that will see 16 baristas showcase their skills head-to-head across a broad range of disciplines. With a prize of $5,000 on the bar, and the prestigious title of Coffee Master – New York, the stakes are high.

–Latte Art Live, an interactive zone dedicated to the highly popular skill of latte art. In past years, local heroes like Jai Lott and Barista Dee, and international names like Dritan Alsela, Dhan Tamang, Lem Butler, and Luke Shilling have taken to the stage. Attendees can take part in hands-on workshops and demonstrations where the pros will teach them the techniques and skills behind jaw-dropping masterpieces.

–The Village is where attendees can discover innovative products, cutting edge brands and exciting new businesses. They’ll be able to meet the personalities behind 2018’s coolest local brands and small businesses, in addition to catching inspiration from awesome technology, next-level apparel and the freshest micro-roasters.

–The Coffee Cocktail Bar is an exciting collaboration with coffee liqueur heavyweight Mr Black, which will be serving indulgent cocktails with high buzz-factor. This year, the focus is on the classic Espresso Martini; a staple in any top cocktail bar in the city.

In addition to offering delicious street food, coffee cocktails, live music and coffee-inspired art, 100% of profits are donated to Project Waterfall, partnering with NYC-based charity: water to deliver life-changing water projects in coffee-growing regions. Since 2011, Project Waterfall has raised over $1.5 million, bringing clean water to more than 37,000 people across seven countries. Find out more about Project Waterfall at projectwaterfall.org  and charity: water at charitywater.org.

On this year’s festival, Allegra Group CEO, Jeffrey Young shares, “We’re super excited to be back for another New York Coffee Festival. The Festival is a vibrant celebration of the specialty coffee scene, and this year is the most dynamic ever, with unlimited free coffee tastings and workshops, plus an exciting array of local and international roasters, a host of new products and inspiring brands to discover. The prestigious Coffee Masters – New York competition will again rally the crowds and Latte Art Live is set to be a showstopper as leading latte artists from New York and abroad showcase their incredible skills, all in the name of great coffee and charity.”

Tickets for The New York Coffee Festival are now on sale at: www.newyorkcoffeefestival.com, and are expected to sell out quickly. For coffee connoisseurs and foodies alike, this event is bound to give New Yorkers and global attendees a truly exciting break from the  daily grind.

For the first time ever the festival has also introduced a brand new “Super VIP” ticket package, which offers three-day access to the event, a dedicated VIP entrance, complimentary cocktails from The Coffee Cocktail Bar, and a VIP goodie bag, full to bursting with gifts from some of your favorite brands and a brand new copy of  The New York Coffee Guide.

EVENT DETAILS:

WHAT: The New York Coffee Festival

WHEN: Fri., Oct. 12th – Sun, Oct. 14th 2018

Friday, October 12 – 11am-6pm | Trade Session

Saturday, October 13 – 9:30am-12:30pm | Morning Session

Saturday, October 13 – 12:30pm-3:30pm | Afternoon Session

Saturday, October 13 – 3:30pm-6:30pm | Late Session

Sunday, October 14 – 9:30am-1pm | Morning Session

Sunday, October 14 – 1pm-4:30pm | Afternoon Session

WHERE: The Metropolitan Pavilion | 125 W. 18th St. | New York, NY 10011

TICKETS: www.newyorkcoffeefestival.com/tickets

For the latest on The New York City Coffee Festival, please visit:

Website: www.newyorkcoffeefestival.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/newyorkcoffeefestival

Twitter: twitter.com/NYCoffeeFest

Instagram: instagram.com/newyorkcoffeefestival

Official Hashtag: #newyorkcoffeefestival

Are you planning on attending? Let me know if you are!  I won’t be able to make it but I’ll be there in spirit drinking my usual three cups of cold brew in the morning. What’s your favorite coffee drink? Do you like lattes? How much coffee do you drink each day? Please leave your comments below and share this post on social media.

Thank you for reading! Straight ahead on The Badass Writer: How to prepare your skin for cold weather with SanRe Organic Skinfood, all about me as I celebrate my birthday, and a book review on Smashing Glass & Kicking Ass. Stay with me!

xoxo,

Connie

International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance

Wall of Fame Member