There's a new drinks festival in town, but this time, you won't need to stock up on any Panadol or Powerade before attending. Picolo, which is set to pour into Melbourne's Timber Yard on Saturday, February 11, is Australia's first-ever festival celebrating low and zero-alcohol bevvies. That's right: you'll be able to sip all day without fear of a debilitating hangover the next morning.
Brought to you by Revel, the team behind Pinot Palooza and Mould, Picolo boasts a line-up of 30 drinks producers including Heaps Normal, T.I.N.A., N.O.N., Better Beer, Four Pillars, Ovant, Senza, Banks Botanical, Sobah, Lyres, Yes You Can, Gruppetto Spritz, Mischief Brew and Giesen.
"There's been a huge cultural shift around drinking in recent years and people are realising that not every social drink needs to have booze in it to be enjoyable," says Dan Sims, the director and CEO of Revel. "As a result, the no-low beverage market has experienced extraordinary growth, and in good news for punters, the quality, flavour and integrity of these drinks have kept pace."
Whether you're abstaining from alcohol briefly or long-term or you're an avid drinker that's curious about low-no bevvies, Picolo is the spot to taste your way through myriad booze-free spirits, beers, cocktails and wines. Drink up, then head to the Picolo stage for talks and masterclasses where you'll get the lowdown on what it takes to create high-quality and highly drinkable bevvies sans booze.
The event will also feature a live cocktail competition starring bartending heavyweights from some of Melbourne's most popular venues including Her, Pearl Diver and Black Pearl. Adding to the festivities will be live music from a DJ and roving band, along with activations and games like a roller-skating rink, 'beersketball' sessions and limbo competitions. And while the exact details are still under wraps, a stellar food line-up will be announced closer to the date.
Tickets start at $35 per person and include festival entry, all drinks tastings, a stemless wine glass and more. Visit the Picolo website to learn more and book tickets.
