Just when you thought the excitement was winding down, the infamous Bar Wars come to town on Saturday, July 28.
Restaurant and bar staff from businesses across the island will compete in the popular obstacle course designed to test their skills. The event is an all-day charitable affair to benefit the St. John Animal Care Center (ACC).
Beginning at noon, registered teams will compete on the beach in front of the Beach Bar at Wharfside Village in Cruz Bay. Beach Bar owners and Bar Wars hosts Cat Braaten and Allen MacPhee describe the popular and somewhat oddball competition as “an obstacle course designed to test teams’ bartending and service skills through water and sand challenges in a timed competition. Winning teams go on to the next heat. Losing teams can buy another opportunity to enter the next heat.”
In a coconut shell, it’s a hoot. Last year’s winner, Rhumb Lines restaurant, is looking to defend their title, and to snag the coveted trophy.
“Heineken is providing a really cool engraved trophy this year, for winners to keep and pass on each year,” according to MacPhee,
As appealing as buff bartenders running in flippers on the beach may sound, drink specials ($2 Heinekens!) and free giveaways throughout the day make the event that much more popular.
And in classic St. John style, MacPhee and Braaten are donating the proceeds from the sale of Bar Wars t-shirts, as well as all the “bribe” money collected from teams trying to say in the competition, directly to the ACC.
Entry forms are available at the Beach Bar. Minimum team size is four people, maximum is eight. For more information, contact Allen or Cat at 777-4220. The Beach Bar is located 50 yards from the ferry dock in Wharfside Village.
