Barton Foundation’s third annual “Signature” Cocktail Contest took place on Thursday, Sept. 8 at Riva Grill. The battle of the bartenders is the official kick-off of the annual Festival of Trees & Lights to be held the first weekend in December at Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa.
This year’s cocktail contest grossed more than $5,400 – an increase of 35% from last year’s event and all of the proceeds from the contest and the Festival will help fund the $800,000 expansion of the Barton Community Clinic, which will create a larger waiting room, more patient exam rooms and allow Barton to meet the growing needs of the South Lake Tahoe community.
Riva hosted 152 attendees throughout the night, while bartenders from Capisce, Edgewood, Riva Grill, Fresh Ketch, Blue Water Bistro, Lakeside Inn & Casino, Chart House and Naked Fish worked their magic with sponsor Skyy Vodka to create winter delights.
A panel of “celebrity judges,” Howie Nave, Chris Larson (KOLO Reno Meteorologist) and Carol Chaplin, LTVA Executive Director, voted Blue Water Bistro’s “Winter Skyy,” created by Rob Zanetti, as best cocktail. Naked Fish came in second and Edgewood in third place. Capisce’s, Rick Miller, won most congenial bartender and all “mixologists” donated their tips to The Foundation.