2026 Mount Gay Rum Cocktail Contest – Annapolis
- The 2026 Mount Gay Rum Cocktail Contest will be held in Annapolis, Maryland, as part of the city's spring sailing events.
- The cocktail contest is associated with the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Annapolis.
- These activities coincide with the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, which runs from April 24 to April 26, 2026.
The 2026 Mount Gay Rum Cocktail Contest will be held in Annapolis, Maryland, as part of the city’s spring sailing events. According to event registration materials, teams competing in the contest must report by 5:30 pm on Friday, April 24, 2026, to receive complimentary bottles of rum for the creation of their cocktails. Judging for the competition is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm on April 24, 2026.
Regatta and Sailing Season Events
The cocktail contest is associated with the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Annapolis. Registration and social activities for the regatta are hosted at the Annapolis Yacht Club Sailing Center.
These activities coincide with the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, which runs from April 24 to April 26, 2026. The show includes several educational seminars and training sessions, such as the Cruisers University Diesel Maintenance course held from April 22 to April 24, 2026.
Other scheduled programming at the show includes a presentation by Captain Cheryl Duvall regarding a 1,820-nautical-mile cruise from Annapolis to Maine and back, as well as a session on Chesapeake Bay anchorages led by Captain Alex Wolf
Zahn. On Sunday, April 26, 2026, pro sailor and coach Jahn Tihansky will conduct small-group dockside clinics on a J/80 focusing on sail trim, communication, tacking, and gybing.
Schooner Woodwind Cocktail Cruise
A separate event, the Sailors Delight Cocktail Cruise, will operate on April 24, 2026. The cruise departs from the Schooner Woodwind at the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel, located at Dock 80 Compromise Street, at 5:30 pm and returns at 7:30 pm. The cost for the cruise is $114.61.
The cruise includes two drink vouchers, one free Mount Gay Rum t-shirt per person, and a sunset sail featuring wine, local craft beers, and Mount Gay Rum cocktails. The available rum cocktails are the Mount Gay Rum Punch and a lemon ginger cocktail called Swizzle me Timbers. A representative from Mount Gay Rum will be on board to discuss the history of the rum producer.
Passengers may choose one of two appetizers during checkout:
- Hummus Box: Roasted red pepper hummus, carrot and celery sticks, and two fruit skewers served with naan dippers.
- Cheese & Fruit Box: Butterkase, baby asiago, three pepper gouda cheese cubes, pepperoni, genoa salami, and a fruit skewer served with naan dippers.