(December 12th, 2018 – Tampa, Fla.) – Who makes the best cocktail in Tampa Bay? Creative Loafing is letting locals decide at the third annual HighBall on Thursday, January 24th, 2019 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Nova 535 (535 Dr M.L.K. Jr. St. N. in St. Pete). A portion of proceeds to benefit Current Initiatives of Tampa Bay.
HighBall will showcase craft cocktails created by Tampa Bay’s top mixologists as they compete to win over attendees’ taste buds. Five bartenders will compete in each liquor category—whisky, gin, vodka, rum—for a total of 20 bartenders, and attendees will be able to sip their way around the 20 craft cocktails as they sample and judge the tasty concoctions all for the sake of finding the best. In addition to naming Tampa Bay’s Best Craft Cocktail, attendees at the event will also name winners for the Best Whisky, Best Gin, Best Vodka, and Best Rum Cocktails.
Not to mention, Creative Loafing will be celebrating the release of their Cocktail Issue in print and online on January 24th, and the winning HighBall cocktails will be featured at Creative Loafing’s annual Best of the Bay Awards Party in September.
Stay tuned for the full lineup of competing bartenders, liquor brands, and cocktail details to be announced.
Tickets for HighBall are on sale now and available for purchase at highballtampabay.com
General Admission includes craft cocktail samples from each bar/restaurant, complimentary bites, entertainment, and voting in each category of the HighBall competition. General Admission tickets are $45 Flash Sale now through Thursday, December 13th, $50 Early Bird through December 23rd, and $55 in Advance.
VIP Admission includes early entry for an extra hour of sampling without the crowds from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., a VIP lanyard + gift, craft cocktail samples from each bar/restaurant, complimentary bites, entertainment, voting in each category of the HighBall competition, and other fun surprises. VIP Admission tickets are $70 Flash Sale now through Thursday, December 13th, $75 Early Bird through December 23rd, and $80 in Advance.
If available at the door, prices will be $60 for GA and $85 for VIP.
Attendees are encouraged to stay in-the-know on all event details by RSVPing to the Facebook event here.
Special thanks to our sponsors and partners Creative Loafing, Nova 535, Current Initiatives, Mini Doughnut Factory, FishHawk Spirits, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Balcones Distilling, Estrella Galicia, and Maeloc Ciders.
Creative Loafing has, once again, teamed up with Lyft to get attendees to and from HighBall safely. First-time Lyft users get their first ride free up to $20 by downloading the app, creating an account, and entering the code CLTAMPA in the ‘Payment’ section.
For more information on HighBall, visit highballtampabay.com
Please use the following hashtag for all digital promotions: #CLHighBall
About Creative Loafing
Creative Loafing is an award-winning alternative, weekly newspaper and website committed to providing Tampa Bay with an independent perspective, up-to-the-minute local news, and a comprehensive listing of local happenings. Creative Loafing offers readers’ unique monthly events and CL Deals, a locally focused platform featuring dining and event experiences at half-off their regular price. For more information about Creative Loafing, visit cltampa.com and cldeals.com.