Decades Bartender Named Regional Finalist For Negroni Week Contest

Alexandra Kastelic, Decades bartender, was named a regional finalist for her Negroni cocktail that she created for the twelfth annual 2024 Negroni Week! Customers voted for their favorite Negroni beverages Wednesday, Sept. 18 - Sunday, Sept. 22.

Alex, representing Decades, competed in the contest against other regional places from Lancaster, Philadelphia, and the general Central/Eastern PA area. Decades and LUCA were the only two restaurants from Lancaster that advanced.

Due to winning one of the most-voted Negroni beverages in the Negroni Week contest, Alex was invited to showcase her drink at the finalists celebration hosted in Philadelphia at an in-person party at Midnight & The Wicked, a cocktail lounge and nightclub, on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

“We are very proud of Alexandra on her efforts in the Negroni Week and Gala Negroni competitions,” said Chris Trendler, Partner & Operations Manager at Decades. “It's an honor to showcase our beverage program and be invited to compete in Philadelphia. Her thoughtful preparation of a delicious cocktail shows her talents and the strength of our bar team. Congratulations Alexandra!”

In 2013 Imbibe Magazine launched Negroni Week as a celebration of one of the world’s great cocktails and an effort to raise money for charitable causes around the world.

Since then, Negroni Week has grown from about 120 participating venues to thousands of venues around the world, and to date, the initiative has raised over $5 million for charitable organizations.

This year’s event benefits the Slow Food organization. This organization has been chosen as the official Negroni Week giving partner because the organization addresses so many of the needs participating Negroni Week venues have been most interested in supporting over the past 10 years.

This includes sustainability, education, equity, and diversity, with hospitality, food, and drink woven throughout. Slow Food also has a global footprint, with chapters and initiatives in countries and cities all over the world, and most fittingly, it is an organization with roots in Italy, the birthplace of the Negroni.

Learn more about Negroni week here.