As Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, few brands feel more synonymous with the East End state of mind right now than Holiday Vodka. From sunset dinners in Montauk to long lunches on Shelter Island, the clean, Italian-crafted vodka has quickly become a staple at some of the Hamptons’ most iconic destinations, including Gurney’s Montauk Resort, The Surf Lodge, and Sunset Beach. Founded by Anna Goldman, the brand was inspired by the very rhythm of Hamptons summers, think relaxed luxury, effortless entertaining, and the kind of gatherings that start with beach afternoons and end with espresso martinis under the stars. As Holiday Vodka continues to organically weave itself into the fabric of East End entertaining, we caught up with Goldman to talk Memorial Day traditions, building a lifestyle brand rooted in nostalgia, and why Holiday Vodka is poised to be the must-have bottle of the summer.
Spotlight: Holiday Weekend is often considered the unofficial kickoff to summer — how does Holiday Vodka capture that exact Hamptons state of mind, from beach afternoons to sunset martinis?
Anna Goldman: Holiday Vodka was actually created around that exact feeling. It’s the first beach day that turns into sunset drinks, long dinners outside, and weekends where everyone finally slows down a bit. Growing up spending summers on Shelter Island, that style of entertaining and hosting has always felt very natural to me.
The brand has always felt connected to the Hamptons lifestyle — social, relaxed, and elevated without trying too hard. I wanted Holiday to feel like something that naturally belongs in those moments.
Spotlight: You grew up spending summers on Shelter Island, and now Holiday Vodka is showing up at iconic East End destinations like Gurney’s, The Surf Lodge, and Sunset Beach. What has it felt like watching the brand naturally become part of the places and memories that shaped your summers?
Anna Goldman: It’s such a full circle moment. Some of the best nights of my life were spent at Sunset Beach, and those memories of dancing, laughing, and being with friends and family late into the night are very much the feeling I wanted to capture with Holiday.
I’m also incredibly grateful that these places understood the vision behind the brand early on, saw how naturally it fit within their bars and hospitality programs, and took a chance on us from the beginning. Our very first order came from The Surf Lodge, and I’ll always be grateful to Jayma Cardoso for that support.
Spotlight: Holiday Vodka has quickly become one of the bottles to know out East this season. Why do you think consumers are gravitating toward a cleaner, more versatile approach to drinking right now?
Anna Goldman: Consumers are smart and intentional. Understanding that alcohol is never going to be a wellness decision, it’s super important to be selective about what you are drinking. Holiday’s ingredient transparency and straightforward approach to production have always been important to us. It’s crafted with just two ingredients — Italian alpine water and soft wheat from Piedmont, Italy — with a focus on quality and simplicity.
We also think consumers today want more of a connection to the brands they choose to bring into their lives. This is something I didn’t see in the vodka space and what I wanted to change when I created Holiday.
Spotlight: There’s a very specific energy to summer entertaining in the Hamptons — long lunches, dinner parties that turn into late nights, impromptu beach gatherings. What was your vision for how Holiday Vodka would fit into those moments?
Anna Goldman: These moments were the inspiration behind creating Holiday Vodka, and I hope that comes through in everything from the bottle design to the marketing to the liquid itself. One of the earliest thoughts I had with Holiday was that there wasn’t really a vodka that felt like the perfect hostess gift.
I always wanted Holiday to be the kind of bottle you’d naturally bring to a dinner party, beach weekend, or lunch with friends — something that feels thoughtful, celebratory, and meant to be shared.
Spotlight: If you could design the ultimate Memorial Day Weekend with Holiday Vodka at the center of it, what would the perfect lineup look like — from the playlist and table setting to the signature cocktail in hand?
Anna Goldman: Well first, we’re going to assume it’s 75 degrees and sunny all weekend (because that’s always what we get on Memorial Day Weekend, right?).
My dream day looks like hopping on a boat to ride over to Sunset Beach for lunch — moules-frites and the signature frosé (rosé, Holiday Vodka, strawberries, and lemons, of course). After lunch and some walking around Shelter Island, we take the boat back, with skin perfectly sunkissed and no burn, and head to dinner at Gigi’s at Gurney’s in Montauk. My go-to order is the shrimp scampi and Holiday Vodka espresso martinis, which will give us enough fuel to hang around the firepits before remembering that our kids will be up in eight hours.
On Sundays, my husband and I always host a BBQ at our home — friends, parents, kids, all are welcome — and we pre-batch Holiday Vodka cosmos because it’s the perfect cocktail. We keep the tablescape casual but welcoming: fresh flowers from Stone’s Throw Farm, rattan placemats from Fishers Home Furnishings in Sag Harbor, and of course, a few bottles of Holiday Vodka on the table as decoration. For dinner, pre-marinated steak and shrimp come from Red Horse Market in Wainscott, with my husband’s favorite playlist playing in the background. Happy summer!
