Chicago Rum Festival 2025: Nine Years of Flavor, Rum Culture, and Connection (+ 2026 Date)

This past April 26 marked the ninth edition of the Chicago Rum Festival, hosted by TheRumLab.com. Held at the historic Logan Square Auditorium (2539 N. Kedzie Blvd.), the sold-out event welcomed hundreds of rum lovers, trade professionals, bartenders, and content creators to a dynamic celebration of the spirit’s global diversity and cultural roots.

With more than 160 rum expressions, this one-of-a-kind experience positioned Chicago as a key player in the global rum map. Among the standout features, such as speaker programming, entertainment, classics, and emblematic rum brands like Plantearay Rum, Barbancourt, Ron Centenario, Dos Maderas, Black Tot, Tanduay, Diplomático, among others, shared their history, expressions, and concoctions, taking the audience on an immersive journey.

Rum has that power: it crosses borders, breaks labels, and unites generations. From the aficionados who took their first curious sip to the experts who led master tastings, we were all part of the same story. We are excited to see how rum continues to evolve, and how festivals like this one become spaces for encounter, education, and celebration. – TheRumLabTeam

The Rum Conference: Education at the Heart of the Festival

True to TheRumLab’s signature mission, education was the cornerstone of the event, thanks to more than 5 curated seminars offering historical context, technical expertise, and cultural immersion.

Some Highlights included:

Rum Around the World by LM&V

Attendees joined Kate Perry of LM&V for an epic tasting journey through non-Caribbean rums, taking the audience on a trip from the South Pacific to the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.

Rum Through the Ages

Miguel Sequeira and Daniella Sánchez presented “Rum Through the Ages,” a seminar that provided a brief but impactful overview of the history of a specific period of the category of rum. 

Barbados Rum Canvas: A Palette of Flavors

Adrienne Stoner explored the true essence of Barbados rum, delving into the island’s diverse distilling methods, from vintage pot stills to modern column stills. The audience had the unique opportunity to learn the artistry of rum blending and even craft their own blends.

Worthy Park Estate Master Class

Alexander “Zan” Kong led the audience on a marvelous journey through Worthy Park Estate Rum Distillery, an iconic single-estate rum distillery in Jamaica.

Rhum Liqueurs: From Tradition to Modernity

Danielle Lewis (Spiribam Territory Manager) and Daniele Dalla Pola (Tiki Mixologist, Rum Enthusiast, and Co-Founder of Alamea Liqueur) delved into the history and tradition of liqueurs, their production methods, and how they may be used in cocktails.

Chicago & Rum

Chicago has been a hub for rum history since the Prohibition Era, when rum runners used Lake Michigan to evade authorities. In those old days, this city served as a hub of rum running and bootlegging. According to Rum Geography, this context pushed the flourishing of Chicago´s cocktail culture.  

Something that impulsed the creation of distilleries and rum bars around the windy city. 

Chicago Rum Festival 2026: Save the Date

Following the success of this year’s festival, TheRumLab.com wants to keep creating the perfect atmosphere for learning, sharing, and building community. That’s why the team is thrilled to announce the return of the Chicago Rum Festival on Saturday, April 25, 2026, once again at Logan Square Auditorium (2539 N. Kedzie Blvd.)

Tickets for the 2026 edition are on sale now on https://chicagorumfest.com/. Attendees are encouraged to book early, as the 2025 edition sold out in advance.

More details on next year’s programming, guest speakers, and participating brands will be revealed in the coming months. For updates, follow @TheRumLab on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter.