What is World Gin Day?

Here at Sing Gin we think of every day as Gin Day! We live and breathe our passion for our gin and its proud place in the vast array available on the market. It’s true to say that there’s a ginaissance going on, and gin just keeps gaining more popularity!

With that in mind, it only seems right and natural that gin should have its own awareness day! So, let’s discover what World Gin Day is and how it’s celebrated around the globe.

When is World Gin Day?

World Gin Day is celebrated on the second Saturday in June (the perfect time of year to savour a G&T in the garden with friends!) so in 2022 it was on Saturday 11th June, and in 2023 it will be Saturday 10th June. Yes, it is always on a Saturday, for good reason…

What is World Gin Day?

First and foremost, it’s a celebration! World Gin Day is a day to enjoy gin. If you ask us, a global day of recognition of our favourite drink isn’t something to experience solo. Best to gather a group of fellow gin fans for this one.

For gin makers such as ourselves, it’s the perfect opportunity to connect with gin drinkers, to discover what they’re looking for in their ideal gin, and maybe introduce them to a gin they haven’t tried before.

World Gin Day is led by blogger Emma Stokes, also known as Gin Monkey. The day was founded by her friend Neil Houston in 2009 as a way to bring together friends in the celebration of gin, in Birmingham. Emma took it over in 2010, where it largely moved to London to a bar in Soho called Graphic. Since then it’s grown and grown, reaching gin lovers all over the world. Today World Gin Day is celebrated in over 30 countries and reaches more than 200 million people via social media. That’s a lot of lovers of gin!

Sounds good! How can I celebrate World Gin Day where I am?

You have a few options! One way is to see whether there are any Gin Day events happening near you. Events are listed on the World Gin Day website and you’ll likely find more appear the closer to June we get.

If connecting with people all over the world is your aim, World Gin Day has its own hashtag so you can post about your gin adventures on social media and see how others are celebrating, too: #WorldGinDay.

A really lovely way to celebrate Gin Day is to make it your own! Here are some ideas for you. First, gather some friends…

Host a gin tasting. Line up a selection of gins you haven’t tried before, plus a favourite or two, and have fun sampling them and seeing what flavours and aromas you pick up on. You can enjoy the gin neat or as gin and tonics. You’ll want to throw in a few snacks, too!
Give the gift of a gin experience. If you’re feeling generous (ginerous?) You could give someone a gin-based gift so they can really indulge their love for fine gin. The Gin Lovers’ Dream Hamper is made for them. Celebrating with a friend or two? The Extravaganza Gin Hamper loves a party and will travel with you to your chosen dest. We’re thinking a picnic in the park…

Book a gin talk! Interested in learning more about gin? If you’ve got a large group to entertain you could book someone to come to deliver a talk on gin and its fascinating history. Bring the talk to life by sampling some gin at the same time.
Shake up some cocktails! World Gin Day is celebrated in the summer for a reason – ideal cocktail season! This is the perfect time to shake up a new cocktail recipe or three. How about a Sing Fling or Stormy Sing to get you started?

Challenge yourself to try something new. If you always drink your gin with tonic, maybe try a ginger ale or soda mixer instead. Add some fresh herbs to a cocktail for a change. Seek out a new gin and support one of the many independent gin makers out there at the same time. Or maybe try freezing your gin for a fresh way to enjoy it.

Hold on, I’ve heard there is an International Gin and Tonic Day too!

Ah yes, indeed there is. International Gin and Tonic Day was founded in 2010 and is celebrated worldwide on the 19th October, a date chosen in memory of G&T fan Mary Edith Keyburn. She passed away with a G&T in a teacup at her elbow, smuggled in by friends, who then chose her date of passing to start celebrating an annual day of gin and tonic appreciation. That’s quite a legacy!

The beauty of this day is that a G&T is so quick and easy to mix up and enjoy. Get together with friends or celebrate this one quietly at the end of a long day – raise a glass to Mary.

And before you start feeling a little merry on all these celebrations – there is a National Gin and Tonic Day as well, which takes place in America.

Hopefully you’re now feeling inspired to sample a new gin, pour yourself a glass of your favourite, and raise a glass to the gin industry. It’s one we’re very proud to be part of. If you fancy making an award-winning gin – made from the grape rather than the grain – your next gin to try, we think you’ll find Sing Gin a very enjoyable experience. Cheers!