Dubai to host Gulf Bar Show for second year
The Gulf Bar Show, the Middle East and North Africa’s first trade event dedicated to the bar and beverage industry, will return to Dubai in March for its second edition.
The two-day event will take place on 30 and 31 March at the Madinat Jumeirah Conference and Events Centre, bringing together industry professionals from across the region and beyond.
Organisers say the 2026 edition will double its exhibition space to 8,000 square metres, with more than 175 exhibitors and an expected attendance of over 3,000 visitors travelling from the MENA region, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
This year’s theme, ‘The Bar Craft’, will focus on “technique, hospitality and innovation” within the drinks industry, according to GBS co-founder Hugo Goncalves. The programme includes more than 20 seminars, workshops and talks, alongside 12 guided tastings.
Industry response
“The Gulf Bar Show is about stands and showcases, of course, but it’s really about energy as well, the kind you get when the people shaping the industry are in the same room,” Goncalves said.
Partner Content
Co-founder Sebouh Tato said the response from the industry had grown significantly since the show’s launch last year.
After the first edition, I truly saw what we brought to the region and how the entire industry came together in a way that had never happened before,” he said. “This year feels different in the best way possible – the trade itself is reaching out, asking what’s coming next. It’s clear that everyone understands we are doing something meaningful and important for the industry as a whole.”
What to expect
The speaker line-up includes bartender Salvatore Calabrese, drinks industry figures Philip Duff, Lauren Mote and Ed Cottrell, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation executive director Charlotte Voisey, and author and bartender Tristan Stephenson.
The event will also expand into the city, with more than 20 guest shifts and related events taking place across Dubai.
Organisers confirmed that the 2026 edition will host the World Class Regional Final and feature collaborations with Tales of the Cocktail and the Spirited Awards.
Related news
Rosewood Phnom Penh to throw cocktail festival for eighth anniversary
