The Rum Lab announces 2026 agenda
The Rum Lab has announced its 2026 schedule, featuring rum festivals, congresses, and cocktail experiences across the US, Puerto Rico, and Europe.
With each event, The Rum Lab builds on its mission, spanning more than 15 years, to elevate premium rum, connect industry professionals, and deliver immersive, brand-driven experiences to aficionados and newcomers alike.
In 2026, The Rum Lab will host six events, including ones in Miami, New York and, for the first time, in Spain.
The first stop on the agenda, Miami Rum Congress, is set to return for its seventh edition from 6-8 February. Taking place at the Miami Beach Convention Centre in Miami Beach, the festival offers industry-only seminars and features more than 40 brands with 200 unique expressions.
For the first time in Miami, the festival will also feature the Daq-off Daiquiri cocktail competition and a full-scale DaiquiriMania lounge experience, complete with live retro music and mixers.
In addition to the Miami Beach epicentre, Rhum Week Miami will run alongside the event, featuring satellite tastings and brand activations.
On 28 March, rum connoisseurs of Puerto Rico can take part in the 16th annual Taste of Rum International Rum Festival, ‘the cornerstone’ of the Caribbean rum scene. This year, the festival features masterclasses dedicated to rum education and premiumisation.
On 25 April, The Rum Lab will host the Chicago Rum Festival at the Logan Square Auditorium. The festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary with multiple sessions, including industry trade, VIP tastings with rum experts, and general admission tastings.
Before the main event, Rhum Week Chicago will take place, offering immersive brand experiences and networking opportunities.
In the Big Apple, the New York Rum Festival and Congress will take over the Metropolitan Pavilion from 6-7 June. Returning to Manhattan, the 2026 edition features premium seminars and a grand tasting showcasing more than 160 rums.
The West Coast edition, California Rum Festival, is scheduled for 19 September at Trader Vic’s in San Francisco. This event will conclude the US circuit and features a combination of seminar tracks and tastings. Rhum Week California will showcase pop-ups and immersive brand tours throughout the Bay Area.
Before the San Francisco event, The Rum Lab is planning to celebrate its annual rooftop pop-up event in Los Angeles.
Making its debut in the European Series, The Rum Lab will head to Madrid on 7 May to launch its first Spain Rum and Gin Expo.
The flagship launch in Europe introduces the Congreso de Ron Madrid, a trade-level Mediterranean event designed for rum and gin brands. The expo combines consumer tastings with industry sessions and marks the beginning of Mad Ron Week, a week-long series of brand activations throughout Spain’s capital.
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