Cocktails without the booze: New festival highlights non-alcoholic drinks in Charlotte

A new event organized by the founder of The Roaring Social is bringing “a day of mindful drinking and wellness” to Charlotte at a time when interest in non-alcoholic options have been expanding.

Drink Less Fest will offer Charlotteans a chance to sample sparking teas, alcohol-free wine, zero-proof cocktails, Delta 8 beverages and more during a “day of mindful drinking and wellness.”

You can participate in a tasting tour of non-alcoholic beverages, learn how to craft cocktails with Ritual Zero Proof products and how to pair food with non-alcoholic wines. Food trucks will be on site for you to purchase lunch, and a happy hour conversation on workplace drinking will follow.

Festival-goers will also hear a panel discussion that includes The Roaring Social founder Casey Dolan, “How to Eat to Change How You Drink” author Brooke Scheller , sober coach Heather Lowe and Zero Proof Nation founder Laura Silverman .

Drink Less Fest comes during a time when non-alcoholic options have been growing in Charlotte. Just a few years ago, you’d likely have to ask for a bartender to craft you something special if you wanted a non-alcoholic beverage other than tea or soda.

Now, groups like Beyond Sober that hold n/a pop-ups and large events like the Counterculture Club’s Counterculture Festival and Drink Less Fest are making headway. Options for people looking to avoid alcohol — whether it be for health and wellness or sober living — are pushing into the mainstream.

At Restaurant Constance , chef/owner Sam Diminich has crafted an entire menu of alcohol-free cocktails that changes seasonally, offering options such as Jack Straw, a blend of Harmony Ridge Farm Strawberry Agua Fresca, kombucha, citrus and aromatics. Bars and restaurants that have added spirit-free beverage options to their standard menus include The Artisan’s Palate , Billy Sunday , Supperland and Yunta , as well as many others.

An entirely alcohol-free hookah bar, The Sugar Lounge, opened up last year in Charlotte , too.

Dolan’s business The Roaring Social started out with pop-ups and a goal to expand into a permanent space , but those brick-and-mortar plans instead took a turn into a second company, Charlotte Beverage Distribution .

She’s working with retailers, grocery stores and other food-and-beverage providers to expand the area’s options with zero-proof brands that were previously unavailable in the area, including Noughty, Tost, Giffard, Botanical Brewing and several others. She also represented the non-alcoholic Spiritless brand as a mixologist at the Charlotte StrEATs Festival this year.

“This is my passion. Out of all the things I’ve done, this is where I feel most at home,” she told CharlotteFive.

The products she represents will be available for sampling at Drink Less Fest.

“It’s not just about the event — it’s about supporting the movement after the event,” Dolan said.

Drink Less Fest

Location: Pine 828, 4100 Raleigh St., Charlotte NC 28206

When: Sunday, June 2, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., with workshops noon-4 p.m.

Cost: $50