Danny McBride’s Don Gato Tequila Event – Wilmington, NC

danny McBride’s Don Gato Tequila to Launch with Wilmington,NC Bar Crawl

Don Gato Tequila,the new venture from actor Danny McBride,will make its official debut with a four-bar promotional event in Wilmington,North Carolina,on Thursday,December 4. The “Velvet Unveiling” bar crawl signals a strategic launch for the brand, aiming to establish a foothold before expanding to larger markets.

A Wilmington Homecoming for Don Gato

The choice of Wilmington is particularly notable, given McBride’s history with the city. The actor gained widespread recognition for his role in the HBO series “Eastbound adn Down,” which was filmed extensively in and around Wilmington from 2009 to 2013. One stop on the crawl, The Blue Post, served as the iconic Shabooms bar in the show, adding a layer of nostalgia for fans.

According to a company release, Don Gato Tequila was launched in 2024 and is the brainchild of McBride, known for his roles in films like “Tropic thunder” and “The righteous Gemstones.” The brand’s origin story is playfully rooted in a fictional narrative involving a retired Mexican wrestler, or luchador, who transitioned into the tequila business.

– Don Gato Tequila’s backstory centers on a retired luchador who became a tequila maker. The brand emphasizes additive-free production and an affordable premium price point, typically under $50 per bottle.

The Crawl Itinerary & “Mas Gato” Spirit

the Don Gato “Velvet Unveiling” will begin at Whiskey Tango Foxtrot at 7 p.m., followed by stops at Social Casa De Tequila (8 p.m.) and Duck & Dive (9 p.m.). The crawl will culminate at The Blue Post at 10 p.m.

A unique element of the event will be the awarding of a “championship shot belt” – a nod to the brand’s partnership with Major League Wrestling – to the bar that best embodies the “mas gato spirit.” The award will be presented at 10:30 p.m.

– The bar that best captures the “mas gato spirit” during the Wilmington crawl will receive a “championship shot belt,” reflecting Don Gato’s partnership with Major League Wrestling.

Beyond the Humor: A Focus on Quality

While the marketing for Don Gato leans into McBride’s signature comedic style, the brand emphasizes a commitment to quality. A senior official stated that McBride and his wife, Gia – whose uncle is actor Cheech marin – are “real, true tequila connoisseurs.” Don Gato is positioned as an “additive-free” tequila, offered at an affordable premium price point of under $50 a bottle.

“while I was filming Don Gato and having cool times, I was introduced to the best additive-free tequila I’ve ever had,” McBride said in the release. “To pay homage to Don Gato – and to help pay for the tab I ran up while drinking his tequila that I assumed was free – I commissioned Argo to capture his coolness on the softest and most feline material known to man. I now want to introduce Don Gato, his tequila and his velvet immortality to my friends back in Wilmington.”

– Wilmington was chosen for the launch due to Danny McBride’s connection to the city through filming “Eastbound and Down” there from 2009-2013. The Blue Post bar, featured in the show, is a stop on the crawl.

Velvet Paintings & Future Expansion

At each location during the December 4th event, Don Gato will unveil replicas of original velvet paintings by Alfredo “Argo” Rodríguez Ortiz, celebrated as “The Last Velvet Painter in Tijuana.” The artwork depicts Don Gato, caped and shirtless, cradling a cat named Diego Diego.

The Wilmington event is intended as a “test run” for similar activations in larger cities. According to Dan Edwards, vice-president of sales for the brand, “Basically, Wilmington will be the smallest market we do this in. We want to make this the model for the entire contry.”