Licensee Programs

Welcome to our Licensee page, filled with information specifically for Virginia ABC Licensees and industry partners. Here you will find information about current and upcoming programs and campaigns and opportunities for you and your company to partner with Virginia Spirits. 

Virginia ABC’s Sale-A-Bration

During Virginia Spirits Month in September, many Virginia-made spirits are on sale for 20% off regular retail pricing all month long. This is a great opportunity to sample new items, stock up on items you regularly carry and build your Virginia Shelf.  

Sale items are available in both Virginia ABC stores and at distillery locations with bottle shops. A complete list of all SKUs on sale will be published on this page once it is finalized and made available from Virginia ABC.  

Virginia Shelf Program

The Virginia Shelf program is a new endeavor designed to highlight licensees that support the Virginia Spirits industry by carrying a minimum number of Virginia-made spirits on their bar, thereby creating a “Virginia Shelf”. Participating licensees must meet certain requirements to participate but all licensees are eligible to apply!  

Benefits: 

• Listed in the appropriate regional section on a dedicated webpage on VirginiaSpirits.org. Our consumer newsletter and social media campaigns will regularly encourage consumers to visit the webpage and seek out Virginia Shelf restaurants when dining out or planning travel.  

• Opportunity to participate in the Virginia Spirits Passport program where consumers earn point by visiting and checking in with participating businesses. The points can then be redeemed for a wide array of Virginia-made prizes, experiences and sweepstakes entries. 

• Opportunity to partner with Virginia Spirits on marketing, social media and other campaigns designed to highlight your brand and drive traffic to your location.  

2024 Virginia Spirits BarPro

A professional development conference for Virginia’s bartending community presented by The Virginia Spirits Board. 

Virginia Spirits is pleased to announce the inaugural BarPro Professional Development conference for Virginia-based bartending professionals. The three-day conference is presented in partnership with the Richmond Chapter of the US Bartenders Guild as part of USBG’s Education Week. 

The conference will offer educational and professional growth opportunities ranging from new bartending techniques to self-care and wellness, from a history lesson on spirits production in the commonwealth to sessions on how to build a profitably bar, plus a wide range of other topics and tons of networking opportunities to help bolster the mixology community in Virginia.  

The conference will take place October 7-9 primarily at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, at the Richmond Graduate host hotel and at other venues across Richmond. We are working to keep costs low, offering the programming at only $150 (to include most meals) with discounted room rates at The Graduate Hotel.  

Tentative Schedule: 

• Monday, October 7: Registration material pick up and Welcome Reception, 6-9 PM followed by sponsored activations and pop ups at area bars and restaurants 
• Tuesday, October 8: Educational programming at Virginia Museum of History and Culture concluding with Virginia spirits tasting with local distillers and dinner  
• Wednesday, October 9: Technical sessions at Richmond distillery locations. Ending at approximately 2:00 PM.  

Our hope is that the conference is successful, and we are able to move it to a different location around the state each year. 

Restaurant Weeks

In an effort to support our licensee partners, Virginia Spirits is pleased to be a sponsor of various Restaurant Weeks happening across the state throughout 2024 and into 2025.  We have secured the following sponsorships and still have room for 1-2 more if you don’t see your region listed (subject to costs, budget and reach): 

1. Lynchburg 
2. Charlottesville 
3. Arlington 
4. Virginia Beach 
5. Richmond (tentative) 

Trade Tastings (tentative)

The Virginia Spirits Board is in the planning process to hold regional trade tastings throughout fiscal year 24/25. Our hope is to provide an opportunity for local restaurant and bar owners and bar management and staff to learn more about the distilleries in your own backyard as well as those across the state. We are in discussions with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to plan and execute tastings across the commonwealth.  

Sign up to stay in touch!

The Virginia Spirits Board will soon launch a quarterly email newsletter to help inform and stay in touch with our licensee and industry partners. The best way to learn about new partnerships and promotional opportunities is to sign up for this new and exciting source of information.