'Noon Year' mocktail party serves as non-alcoholic way to ring in 2025
Sober Edmontonians rung in the new year Wednesday with a "Noon Year" celebration at a mocktail bar.
"When I heard about this place, I just knew instantly, OK, these will be like-minded people," Shauna Letendre told CTV News Edmonton during an interview at Spilt Zero Proof, which opened in June and calls itself the capital city's first dedicated mocktail bar.
"I thought that it is a perfect opportunity to come and see what this is about. I love the vibe, I love the energy, and I'm in the right place, for sure."
She found quitting alcohol was isolating.
"Finding a sober community can be really challenging and there are currently not a lot of places in Edmonton that really uplift a non-alcohol community and good time. Like, it's really counter culture," Letendre said.
"We want to help show people that this can be fun," said Spilt's founder and CEO, JoAnne Pearce, of the Jan. 1 event.
"When you quit drinking, staying up until midnight and going out with the crowds and being around a lot of drunk people becomes less appealing… So we thought we would embrace that."
Pearce stopped drinking alcohol to help manage anxiety, but discovered other health benefits – physical, as well as mental – in the process.
As the new year also ushers in "Dry January," she hopes Spilt can demonstrate to those curious that sobriety doesn't "have to be this month of hiding and deprivation."
Her bartenders – among them, Kevin Jones – are equipped to mix up almost anything requested, be it fruity, smoky, spicy or salty.
"Everyone's looking for something different," Jones told CTV News Edmonton, adding that he tries to get a "read" on each customer.
"You don't want it to taste like alcohol. And some people are coming in and looking for something as close as they can. We're not here to do that. We want to give them a unique experience."
Spilt will also be putting out a new menu specifically for "Dry January."
As for the "Noon Year" party, Pearce hopes it's a new tradition.
"We're excited to try it out today and hopefully we'll be doing it again in 2026."
A "magic lemonade" that turned from blue to purple in hand, Letendre added, "It does feel a little bit like an act of rebellion. It's punk rock."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Miriam Valdes-Carletti
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