“Bartenders Bash” Bartenders Skills Competition

Updated: June 1, 2004

“Bartenders Bash” Bartenders Skills Competition
May 10th 2004
Islamorada, Florida USA

By Rob Husted

The reason I got into Flair bartending was because of this competition.

Long time Flair Legend Bill Long organizes this event every year the day after Mothers day in May. Bartenders from all over the globe come to compete at this laid back, stress free Flair bartending competition. The prize money is kept low on purpose to encourage the new people to get out there and start competing and with the huge party afterwards it attracts bartenders from all walks of life.

Featured to the left are some of the competitors from this years Bartenders Bash Bartenders Skills competition.

It was my first Flair competition that I ever saw and a great first competition for others to compete in. Where else can you go to compete in a bathing suit with hot topless chicks and liquor vendors handing out free product? All of this under the beautiful Florida sun.

From pioneers like Ken Hall, Alan Mays and Bill Long to legends like Rob Ford, Rick Barcode and Tony Cogburn and to tomorrows big names. This competition has seen some major talent from many different Flair bartenders.

JD Spradlin ‘The voice of Flair’ is there to MC the event and helps put all the new competitors at ease while pumping up the crowd and showcasing this sport!

This event is usually sponsored by Allied Domecq and depending on the number of competitors the rounds are anywhere from two to three minutes.

Bill Long tries to keep it fair for everyone by announcing the drinks the day of the competition and the drinks are usually pretty simple. Less chance for messing up.

Pictured left is the 2003 winner Danny Rossi.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the wild world of performance bartending. It’s from last year when Danny Rossi showed us how to make a real Sex on the Beach! I have it hanging in my hallway.

It’s great to see bartenders so laid back at a comp and not so stressed out about it. It’s one big party and we get to play on stage in front of fellow bartenders right on the beach.

The last couple of years you weren’t allowed to bring video cameras to this event (Proving what happens at Bartenders Bash stays at Bartenders Bash) and this is the first year we didn’t have any footage of this years winners.

So we decided to bring you a Flair montage from throughout the years of this event.

Click on the video below and enjoy! It’s a big file so it may take a while to download.

The 2004 Final Results are…

Pictured left from left to right, 3rd place Patrick Kelly,1st place Nicolas Antivero and 2nd place Hernan Markowitz

What a great tradition this event has turned out to be and one that hopefully will last many years.

Thank You Bill and JD for keeping this contest running. If it weren’t for this contest I might of never have become the Flair bartender that I am today. THANK YOU!

Pictured left is this years first place winner Nicolas Antivero with long time legend and organizer Bill long.