When professionals from all walks of the liquor industry want to come together to discuss, share, and otherwise celebrate all things booze, where do they go? Well, this year, they’re going to VEGAS!

The Nightclub & Bar 2011 Convention and Trade Show will take place in Las Vegas this year on March 7, 8, and 9. Main convention headquarters is the Las Vegas Convention Center but this is Vegas - the party spills over into the whole town!

Caesars Palace is hosting the welcome party on Monday night, kicking off the festivities. Tuesday’s Triple Theme Party will be at PURE and Haze, The Marquee, The Bank, and Lax are all hosting event-related festivities, too.

What happens at a liquor industry convention, you might ask? Well, there’s a whole lotta tastin’ going on. Major distillers showcase their classic beverages and introduce their latest products. These new product launches often become the next latest trend so those of us who enjoy the fruits of these professionals’ labors can look forward to some cool, new cocktail ideas in the very near future. Yum!

Would it surprise you to discover many of those new cocktail ideas come from bartenders as well as the producers of the products? Consider your favorite bartender as the link between you and the people who bottle your fave booze. These ambassadors of the bar are celebrated at the convention in a mixology competition. The Shake It Up! competition will award $25,000 in prize money to the inventive men and women with nerve enough to enter this contest. As a former bartender, I can assure you the competition will be fierce.

There will be many topics to drink about at this tasty trade show and Brown-Forman will discuss one of the more serious aspects of the happy hour biz - underage drinking. Brown-Forman is a major player in the liquor game, owning favorite brands that include (but are not limited to) Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, Canadian Mist, Early Times, and Southern Comfort whiskeys; Finlandia Vodka; el Jimador, Herradura, and Don Eduardo Tequilas; and to-die-for Chambord and Tuaca liqueurs. They also bring us Korbel Champagne and wines bottled under Fetzer, Bonterra, and Bel Arbor labels. Brown-Forman’s Thinking About Drinking Program, which address irresponsible drinking decisions by minors and adults alike is expected to be a highlight of the show.

Discussion of serious topics is a given (it’s a working convention, after all) but it’s Vegas! Attendees will be lavished with food and drink, floor shows, and entertainment extravaganzas that will dazzle in true Las Vegas style. I’m sure a good time will be had by all!

And, of course, what happens in Vegas . . . well, you know.