Raise a glass to the Northwests Good Bootlegger, as Roy Olmsteads birthday party comes to Des Moines on Saturday, Sept. 20

Stick Lounge will host a whiskey tasting and storytelling event on September 20, 2025, to celebrate the birthday of Roy Olmstead, a notorious rumrunner from the Prohibition era. The event will feature tastings from Seattle’s 2Bar Whiskey and storytelling by Steve Edmiston, who highlights the moral complexities of Olmstead's life. Once a Seattle police officer, Olmstead built a liquor smuggling empire while adhering to a code that forbade violence, earning him the nickname “The Good Bootlegger. ” Edmiston notes that Olmstead’s narrative includes themes of law, justice, and personal betrayal, likening him to the Northwest’s Gatsby. This celebration has historical significance as Olmstead’s empire ended in 1925 when federal agents seized his final delivery in Des Moines.

The Good Bootlegger’s Guild has held private celebrations for Olmstead annually, making this the first public event. Tickets are available for $30, including whiskey tasting. Attendees are invited to don period attire and engage in the speakeasy spirit.