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Third annual event draws record crowd, celebrates local dining scene and mixology talent with Don Orange and The Overland taking top honors
Third annual event draws record crowd, celebrates local dining scene and mixology talent with Don Orange and The Overland taking top honors
A lively buzz filled the Mitten Building on a warm summer evening as more than 350 guests packed into one of downtown’s most popular venues. With colorful cocktails in hand and citrus garnishes catching the light, the room bubbled with anticipation as bartenders prepared their best creations for Redlands’ third annual Cocktail Competition.
The sold-out event on Aug. 21 gave guests the chance to taste and vote on the night’s top honors. Competitors were tasked with crafting a signature cocktail or mocktail that evoked a feeling, memory or location in Redlands — and explained what it meant to them.
The lineup featured seasoned mixologists and rising talents from some of the city’s best-known bars, including Finney’s Crafthouse, Eureka, The Three Stags Irish Pub, Kluddes, Cedar Agave, Rok-N-Fondue, Made From Skratch, Redlands Public Market Bar, The Overland, Aroi Mak Mak and The Falconer of Redlands.
Food vendors kept the crowd fueled between sips, offering plates from Cedar Agave, Three Stags, Deaux, Finney’s, BZ Taco and Made From Skratch.
Industry renowned judges, Damian Windsor, Naomi Schimek and Alex Perkins, sampled entries earlier in the day to award the Best Cocktail, Best Mocktail and Taste of Redlands Award. Guests decided the People’s Choice Award with their votes.
Winners were announced at the end of the evening to loud cheers and clinking glasses.
The winner included:
But on a night like this, in a community like Redlands, everyone wins, according to Evan Sanford, executive director of the Redlands Chamber of Commerce.
“This event allows us to showcase the local talent this region enjoys,” Sanford said. “This competition puts Redlands on the map for raising the bar when it comes to craft cocktails all year long, not just during the event.”
Three years in, the Chamber’s cocktail competition has cemented its spot as one of Redlands’ signature summer gatherings — a night where the city’s creative spirit is stirred, shaken and shared.
(L Clockwise) Irene Kim gives samples of her award-winning mocktail "Tea for Hamilton"; Avery Rivera accepts the People's Choice award; Friends attend the cocktail competition for a second year; Gabriella Lopez from Eureka! Redlands serves up "The Breakfast Club" for guests. (Photos: CFR)
The event was supported by sponsors including Edward Jones – Bryce Bunell, Alta Vista Credit Union, Arroyo Insurance Services, Deaux, Redlands Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Southern California Edison, The Treatment, eTop Technology, and Teamsters Local 1932.
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