Community Corner
Bartenders Compete To Be Named Upper Manhattan's Best
Uptown residents will be able to sample original cocktails at participating bars for the rest of the month.
UPPER MANHATTAN, NY — Fifteen of the top bartenders in Harlem, Washington Heights and the Bronx are competing to be named the best bartender in Upper Manhattan. The mixologists are squaring off in Harlem Park to Park's "Art of the Mix" competition, which runs through the end of October.
Upper Manhattan locals will judge each bartenders on original cocktails using Jack Daniels whiskey, and can vote for their favorites by posting their favorite drinks to Instagram and tagging the account "@theartofthemix," promotion organizers said.
"Harlem’s nightlife/bar scene has developed tremendously in the complexity and originality of offerings and concepts. From rum-based craft cocktail bars, to craft brew beer gardens and speakeasies, we are able to offer comparable entertainment options to what one has downtown," Harlem Park to Park Executive Director Nikoa Evans-Hendricks said in a statement.
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Customers at participating bars can pick up samples of the signature cocktails from Oct. 15 to Oct. 29, according to a press release. Most of the bars are located in Harlem, but some can be found in Washington Heights and the Bronx.
Twelve finalists will face off in a live showcase on Nov. 5 at the Museum of the City of New York in East Harlem. The showcase involves several rounds of competition, including a round where bartenders have to come up with a cocktail after being given a secret list of ingredients.
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The event was organized by Harlem Park to Park to bring attention to Upper Manhattan's evolving nightlife scene. The organization partnered with Good Ice Marketing and Jack Daniels on the promotion.
"Harlem and Washington Heights are not only attracting top restaurants, but both neighborhoods are also attracting and grooming amazing beverage talent," Karl Franz Williams, Good Ice Marketing CEO, said in a statement. "This competition will help generate some visibility for this talented group while providing some exciting entertainment for the neighborhood."
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