AltBar

We've been open 2 years at our brick and mortar location!! 🎉🎉🎉

Join us on Saturday, all day, to celebrate!

We are thanking you, our customers and friends, with free cotton candy, a drink naming contest, and the chance to win raffle prizes for anyone who makes a purchase.

A HUGE thank you to anyone who has stopped in over the last 2 years-- your support, encouragement, smiles, and stories have built a community at the bar that wouldn't be possible without you. 💕🥂

Grateful for our incredible neighborhood () of other wonderful small businesses - including , , , .coffee, , , , and more. Love sharing a street with you all! 🫶🙏💕

Hi everyone,

Can you believe AltBar's brick and mortar location has been open for 2 years!? What a fulfilling, chaotic, fun, exhausting, rollercoaster of 2 years it has been.

What makes it worth it is when a customer comes in and thanks us with tears in their eyes because they have missed being able to socialize since quitting alcohol. Or when a customer has a huge smile on her face after sipping her first zero-proof sparkling wine because she's growing a baby. Or when a regular stops in to try some new NA beer and sits down and chats about his life. Or when a couple sits at the bar for a first date, knowing they are safe and can be comfortable.

Every time we hear, "I am so glad you're here and that you exist," we are rewarded with the reason we started the business - to be a welcoming, inclusive place for anyone who is looking for non-alcoholic alternatives, for any reason.

We wouldn't be here without you - our staff, our regulars, our first-timers, our friends, our family, and our community. We are so grateful YOU'RE here. Thanks for joining us in this journey.

To thank you, we're celebrating on Saturday with free cotton candy, a drink special (which you can NAME for our summer menu!), and a raffle prize for anyone who makes a purchase on Saturday.

Hope to see you to celebrate together!

Cheers,
Meg & Bob

Upcoming Events!

June in Bloom 🌸

👉 Check out our website for full event details, ticket info, and updates

Draw Club Every Thursday

Our friends Justyn Iannucci and Mike Turzanski, among others, have been leading a weekly draw club at AltBar at 7pm on Thursdays. Pull up a chair and come draw with a friendly group! All are welcome.

Crochet 101 - Thursday, June 18

Moon Mama Arts is hosting Crochet 101 — a beginner-friendly workshop covering the fundamentals: slipknot, chain, slip stitch, single stitch, and double stitch. Tickets are $20 and must be reserved in advance by messaging "strawberry" to on Instagram. A perfect evening for craft lovers!

2 Year Celebration!!

Saturday is going to be a day full of fun! Join us for free cotton candy all day (because who doesn't need child-like joy these days?), a drink naming contest along w/ a drink special for the day, and some raffle prizes for anyone who makes a purchase on Saturday.

It's a big THANK YOU for your support, encouragement, sharing of stories, and friendships we've formed with you all. 🫶

Speed Friending - Saturday, June 20

Ever wish making friends as an adult was easier? Speed Friending is exactly what it sounds like — a structured, playful event where you rotate through short one-on-one conversations to meet a room full of potential new pals. Hosted by Little Button Craft, this ticketed event costs $20 and runs from 4 to 6 PM. It's the perfect low-pressure way to expand your social circle.

Bingo - Wednesday, June 24

June's Bingo Night is free to play and packed with prizes to win! The June feature brand is Lucky Frog, so expect some themed NA beverage fun alongside your bingo cards. Come for the community, stay for the prizes.

Pride Themed Bouquet Bar -Friday, June 26

We're firming up details for this, so keep an eye out for an email about this next week.

Guests will select their blooms from a Pride-inspired flower bar, learn some floristry tips and techniques, and create a bouquet to take home.

The ticket will include the following:

•Flowers to create a 10–12 stem bouquet�
•Floral wrap�
•A mini lesson on arranging and bouquet-making�
•A pair of floral shears for guests to take home

We can't wait to host this - stay tuned for more details!

Chocolate Mindfulness - Saturday, June 27

From 3 to 4 PM, join the Chocolate Mindfulness & Mocktails experience. Enjoy the rich flavors of chocolate while practicing mindfulness and sipping delicious mocktails crafted to complement your tasting journey. Come hang with Melissa Mueller-Douglas, founder of Chocolate Mindfulness, to refocus your mind and taste buds.

Sip & Stitch Beginner - Sunday, June 28

Embroider a name or simple design on a sweater or tote bag while enjoying NA cocktails at AltBar.

Join us for a relaxed Sunday Stitch & Sip with a fresh twist. This time, we’re gathering at AltBar, Rochester’s premier NA cocktail bar known for its thoughtfully crafted non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a chance to enjoy a “night out” (or in this case, a midday outing) without the focus on alcohol.

This class is designed to be welcoming to anyone who wants a creative, low-key experience, including those who are pregnant, nursing, not drinking, or simply in the mood for something different. Come solo or with a friend and spend a couple of hours making something special with your hands.

We’ll be working on baby/toddler sweaters and tote bags, and you’ll learn how to embroider a floral initial outline. You’ll choose your item, size, and color ahead of time so everything is ready for you when you arrive.

Your ticket includes:
• One craft non-alcoholic cocktail
• A sweater or tote bag in your selected size and color
• All embroidery materials and instruction

Celebrating 2 YEARS this Saturday, 6/20 - with FREE cotton candy! + Upcoming Events Click here for an update from AltBar!

Open Mic night tonight! Free! Join us to share what you've been working on - a song, a poem, an excerpt of a story, and more.

See you at 6:30!

July's book for book club is an excellent choice, and we are excited to discuss "I, Medusa" by Ayana Gray! We partner with on these and always have a great time.

Join us on Saturday, July 11, from 3 to 5pm at AltBar to talk about this incredible retelling of a classic Greek mythology story - turning a villain into a heroine and showing that monsters aren't born - they are made.

Link in bio for tickets!

We've got two great (and free!) events this week if you're looking for community.

Wednesday night is our Q***r Social night - drop in to meet some friends!

Friday is an art swap night hosted by . While you're here, grab June's featured drink, which benefits Q***r Handmade!

Please note our live music has been canceled on Saturday. We will get it rescheduled soon!

Obsessed with June's featured drink! 😍

Meet "Pride and Passion," an incredible concoction made with , Bianco, passion fruit, simple, and orange blossom water. 🍊

50% of every drink purchased goes directly to to further their mission of accessible art and community events. 🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Come in and try it; you will not be disappointed.

Did you know we have a positivity wall? This is a space where you can leave a note of positivity for someone else, and/or you can take a note for yourself. But please, make sure you take a note(s) - the wall is getting overrun with positivity! It's so encouraging to see how many people want to leave some positivity for others!

We've got our June calendar and it's packed full of fun! 🌈🫶💕

Come meet a new friend, try a new skill, or see some new art. Check out the link for tickets and more info! https://www.altbarroc.com/s/stories/june-2026-events-calendar-at-altbar

What event(s) are you coming to? Tell us in the comments and tag a friend you want to bring with you! 🥂