Exotic welcome drink: The 20th ToyCocktail for the 75th anniversary of the Spielwarenmesse has been decided

• Bars from the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region in the competition
• Winning drink ‘Hot Velvet’ from the bar Castros Bar & Event

Amid great applause, mixing, shaking, and decorating took place on November 24 at the Gelbes Haus bar in Nuremberg: Seven bartenders from the metropolitan region competed against each other in the popular ToyCocktail competition, which was hosted this year by last year's winner. This year's winner claims an extra special title, as the popular competition is celebrating its 20th anniversary – coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the Spielwarenmesse.

Two anniversaries, one recipe for success

The ToyCocktail for the upcoming 2026 Spielwarenmesse is called ‘Hot Velvet’ and comes from the bar Castros Bar & Event in Fürth. Second place went to die rote Bar, and third place was secured by Herrengedeck. For two decades, the ToyCocktail has been bringing together the creativity of the bar scene and the international atmosphere of the Speilwarenmesse. What once began as an original marketing idea has long since developed into a firm tradition: every year, bars from the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region compete with their creations to win the prize of being the official, annual ToyCocktail, a special drink that welcomes visitors to the world-leading trade fair. Countless recipes have been created over the years – from fruity and fresh to sophisticated and tart – making the competition a symbol of hospitality. The new winning drink will be served from 27 to 31 January 2026 at special events at the Spielwarenmesse and in all participating bars: 

• Castros Bar & Event

• Die rote Bar

• Gelbes Haus

• Herrengedeck

• Le Misch in the Mischbar

• Public in the Scandic Nürnberg Central

• TREFF in the Arvena Park Hotel

Expert jury with a taste for enjoyment

This year, the jury once again combined in-depth expertise with a passion for bar culture. Adriano Paulus has been an integral part of the German bar scene for many years and is known for his flair for balancing flavours. Bernhard Schäfer, Master of the Quaich and renowned spirits expert, brings international experience from numerous expert juries. Franziska Hartmann, co-owner of the Nuremberg bar ‘Die Blume von Hawaii’, completed the trio. In addition to taste and harmony, appearance, aroma and creativity were also taken into account in the evaluation of the drinks. ‘Over the years, the ToyCocktail has become an integral part of the Spielwarenmesse and symbolises the connection between the trade, the city and the region,’ sums up Christian Ulrich, Member of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG (Spokesperson). ‘On the 75th anniversary of the fair and the 20th birthday of the competition, the participating bars are once again demonstrating how much passion and ingenuity there is in ToyCity Nuremberg.’