Elijah Craig recently launched the return of Old Fashioned Week. Now in its seventh year, running from now through October 18, the annual celebration honors the classic cocktail and the bartenders who serve them.
New this year is the Old Fashioned Tavern Trail (see below), a collection of taverns made up of Old Fashioned Week participants across the US that foster community, connection, and a love of great Bourbon.
Founded in 2020 as a way for Elijah Craig to support hospitality workers in need, Old Fashioned Week is a 10-day celebration inviting bourbon fans to discover twists on the classic cocktail while supporting a worthy cause. One dollar from every Old Fashioned sold at participating establishments will benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation, which provides emergency relief and no-cost mental health services to hospitality workers in need. To date, Elijah Craig has pledged over $600,000 to Southern Smoke and other hospitality organizations, with efforts extending across the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
“Elijah Craig’s Old Fashioned Week is a tribute to the iconic cocktail that has brought people together over generations and to the hospitality community that makes these moments possible,” said Max Stefka, Associate Vice President, Elijah Craig Bourbon. “As consumers continue to prioritize analog experiences and moments of togetherness, Old Fashioned Week and the debut of the Tavern Trail pay homage to the return of tavern culture, and the role they play in bringing communities together.”
Timed to America’s 250th anniversary, the Old Fashioned Tavern Trail debuts as an extension of Old Fashioned Week as people seek a place to gather. Featuring a collection of participating Old Fashioned Week accounts among the over 12,000 who participate annually, the Tavern Trail spotlights 70 destinations across the country, ranging from historic taverns to modern third spaces keeping the cocktail ritual alive.
