Alissa Ponchione

National Rum Day is nearly upon us, so when Aug. 16 comes around, make your establishment stand out by offering these specialty rum cocktails.

Happy hour is important for any bar or restaurant, but in order to run a successful one, bar and restaurant owners must know how to cater to a happy hour crowd while ultimately cultivating a loyal customer base.

Welcome all guests to your bar with these alcohol-free concoctions that are just as lucrative — and tasty — as any other cocktail on your menu.

Great promotions take careful planning, so we tapped various experts for their two cents on what it takes to pull off events, contests and more. Read on for important dos and don’ts, as well as some inspiration to spark your next great promotion.

Tales of the Cocktail may be over, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way. Inspired by the seminars, competitions and New Orleans, we’re featuring more recipes from the event.

Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the Arlington, Va.-based company, is exposing bartender secrets with the June launch of its the “Confessions of a Bartender” cocktail menu.

Bonefish Grill, the Tampa, Fla.-based restaurant and bar with 29 locations is holding the “Best Cocktail Featuring a New Spirit” contest at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, which takes place this week.

Find information on new bar and restaurant openings: LOT No. 3 in Bellevue, Wash., MistralKitchen in Seattle, Heaven Hill venues at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Petit Robert Central in Boston and Apothecary in Lakewood, Ohio.

With Daiquiri Day coming up on July 19, get your guests back on the patio with this classic cocktail. But don’t feel locked in to the traditional mix of rum, lime juice and sugar. Find the recipes here.

The "Best Cocktail Featuring a New Spirit" contest allows anyone to submit a recipe involving a spirit that debuted since July 2009, with the winning cocktail to be featured on select Bonefish Grill menus.