New York City’s Booze-Free Movement Expands With Festival, Members-Only Club and Bar From Reality Star

New York City is hosting its first booze-free festival in Chelsea this weekend, a focal point of a growing sober-curious movement that aims to redefine the city’s nightlife without requiring people to abandon social life. The Drinks With Benefits festival will unfold over six hours at The Altman Building, 135 W. 18th St., with general admission at $85 and VIP tickets at $125. Attendees will encounter more than 60 non-alcoholic beverages from brands such as Ghia, French Bloom, Saint Buena Vida, Norie, Society De La Rassi, Cipriani, Wolffer Estates, and Giesen, along with meditation sessions, a live podcast recording on sober life, curated food pairings, a mixology lab, and a designated VIP area for singles looking to mingle.

The event’s organizers say the aim is to demonstrate that the sober-curious and non-drinkers can still let loose. Co-creator Amanda Paul-Garnier told The Post that the city’s culture is shifting, with Gen Z in particular drinking less, and the festival seeks to provide a vibe built around activities that don’t center on alcohol. The broader movement has also given rise to booze-free bottle shops such as Spirited Away (177 Mott St.) and Minus Moonshine (433 Sterling Place), which stock a wide range of non-alcoholic drinks in formats that mirror traditional liquor stores. Spirited Away staff told The Post that many passersby mistake the shop for a regular liquor store because of its familiar setup.

Industry observers say the moment is more than a fad. Maddie Costantino, a 26-year-old Gen Z attendee at the festival, said the sober-curious shift shows a normalization of alcohol-free living and beverage culture in the city. “It’s not just a trend,” she said. “It’s becoming part of the city’s norm.” Alex Highsmith, co-owner and general manager of Spirited Away, reported robust, double-digit growth year over year even without paid advertising and projected that the shop could account for about 40% of its sales in the coming quarter as the holiday season approaches. The movement is not without friction; in New York, liquor-store sales of non-alcoholic products remain a gray area under the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, and supermarkets that carry such beverages often tuck them away from main aisles.

The expansion of zero-proof offerings is driving more destinations that cater to socializing without alcohol. Justin Gurland, a sober entrepreneur and licensed social worker who has built a waitlist of about 2,600 for The Maze — NYC’s first alcohol-free, members-only club — describes the trend as a social space seeking to replace old stereotypes about sobriety. The club model emphasizes connection through curated events rather than drinking rituals.

Soft Bar + Cafe recently opened in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and is expected to appeal to the same crowd. The venue, envisioned as a social hub for sober-friendly dining and mingling, is operated by Crafted Hospitality executive Tom Colicchio’s team and will offer a menu of zero-proof cocktails, coffeehouse-inspired drinks, and meals. The club’s model comes with a high price of entry: annual dues of about $3,300 and a one-time initiation fee of roughly $1,500, with open dinner reservations for members. The opening follows another notable arrival in the sober-social scene: No More Cafe, a neighborhood corner bar in the East Village that opened in April 2024 and has since attracted a steady stream of regulars; its menu features non-alcoholic options priced around $12 to $14 and emphasizes a social atmosphere without a hangover.

The No More Cafe concept has resonated with locals who want a place to unwind without alcohol, with regulars describing a tight-knit community and constructive conversations in a setting that still feels like a traditional bar. Aaron Johnson, a 39-year-old regular, said, “It’s a community here — the same people come every day. We have intelligent conversations, not that those conversations can’t happen in regular bars, but there’s a more sober reality here.” The Park Slope Mockingbird, another booze-free option, has hosted drag bingo and is planning an Oktoberfest celebration, underscoring how the city is building a spectrum of venues to support this lifestyle shift.

For many, the festival and new venues serve as proof that NYC’s nightlife can evolve without a reliance on alcohol. The Drinks With Benefits festival will feature more than a dozen beverage brands, tasting experiences, and live programming designed to appeal to both the sober-curious and those who still enjoy a drink on occasion. Organizers emphasize that the event is not a punitive statement against drinking but a celebration of the social possibilities when alcohol is not the focal point. The six-hour program includes experiential elements intended to broaden the idea of what a night out can look like in a metropolis historically defined by its bar scene.

The movement’s momentum is reshaping the city’s beverage landscape. Spirited Away founder and staff say their business has benefited from a broader appetite for alcohol-free options, while bottling shops such as Minus Moonshine are helping to normalize the availability of non-alcoholic alternatives in everyday shopping. As NYC tests the boundaries of its nightlife, venues from private clubs to casual cafes are adjusting to a consumer base that wants choice, flexibility, and social connection without a next-day consequence. The result is a growing taxonomy of spaces that accommodate different levels of engagement with alcohol, from fully sober to occasionally moderated, while sustaining a sense of festivity and community in the process.