One glass, three ingredients, and a cocktail that has long since transcended the boundaries of a bar classic. From 21 to 27 September, the world will once again be bathed in orange and red. Negroni Week will feature the classic Negroni as well as its daring variations — and, as every year, it will combine the joy of drinking with a good cause.
The Negroni in a nutshell
Negroni Week 2026
21–27 September 2026
Where: Bars and restaurants participating in Negroni Week around the world
This year’s charity partner: Slow Food
Official website: NegroniWeek.com
Classic Negroni
30 ml gin
30 ml Campari
30 ml sweet red vermouth
Method: Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir gently, then strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange twist.
Three ingredients. One ratio. A cocktail that, even after more than a hundred years, needs no explanation.
There are cocktails that are simply drunk. And then there are exceptional cocktails that are celebrated. The Negroni undoubtedly belongs to the latter group. Its unmistakable combination of gin, Campari and sweet red vermouth has been a hit for over a century, and to this day it’s just as good at kicking off an evening, accompanying an aperitif or sparking a debate about what actually makes a good cocktail great.
From 21 to 27 September, the Negroni will once again take centre stage in bars and restaurants around the world. Negroni Week 2026 will feature the traditional recipe as well as dozens of different interpretations — ranging from subtle variations to drinks that share little more with the original than a sense of daring and a shared vision. The official map of participating venues is gradually being updated for this year’s event, and visitors will be able to search by city or country.
From Count Negroni to today’s bars
The story of the Negroni is just as captivating as its taste. According to a famous legend, in the early 1920s the Florentine Count Camillo Negroni asked for his Americano to be made a little stronger — gin was added to the glass instead of soda water. A combination was born that proved to be remarkably timeless.
What is fascinating about the Negroni is its simplicity. Gin provides structure and aromatic sharpness, Campari its characteristic bitterness, and vermouth sweetness and spice — all in a 1:1:1 ratio. It is precisely this balance that gives bartenders scope to experiment without losing the drink’s identity.
And experimentation is one of the main reasons why Negroni Week is worth paying attention to. Alongside the classic, you might come across a Negroni Sbagliato, in which gin is replaced by prosecco, a Boulevardier with whisky, or a wide variety of modern twists featuring rum, mezcal, sherry, fruit or homemade ingredients. The official Negroni Week has long showcased creative variations by bartenders from around the world alongside the classic drink.
That’s precisely the magic of Negroni Week: it’s not just about one recipe. It’s about the chance to compare how different bars, different bartenders and different ingredients interpret the same concept. In a single evening, you can start with a classic and end with a drink that, an hour earlier, you wouldn’t have even imagined when you heard the word “Negroni”.
Not just a toast to good health — to something delicious
Negroni Week was launched in 2013 by Imbibe magazine as a celebration of this iconic cocktail, with the added aim of raising funds for charity. What started as a small event has gradually grown into a global project involving thousands of venues and has already helped raise over $5 million for charitable causes.
In 2026, its official giving partner is Slow Food, a global movement that links gastronomy with sustainability, education, the protection of cultural and biological diversity, and support for a fairer food system. Through the Negroni Week Fund, it also supports community projects focused on education and the sharing of knowledge in the world of food and drink.
So, when you’re standing at the bar during the week beginning 21 September, wondering whether to have one more Negroni, you’ll have one more reason to do so. Because this time, it’s not just about what’s in your glass — it’s also about what its contents help to support.
Negroni Week is the perfect opportunity to remind ourselves why certain cocktails become icons. And if you haven’t acquired a taste for the Negroni yet, perhaps now is the right time. Start with the classic. Then try a twist. After that, leave the choice to the bartender.
