Quintessential Tahoe event elicits laughs and bragging rights.
Wielding a loaded cocktail tray while navigating the various obstacles of a jam-packed bar can be tricky for even the most experienced servers. But what would happen if the server had to negotiate these challenges on snowshoes?
Camp Richardson’s Snowshoe Cocktail Races seeks to answer that question — with a stiff chaser of hilarity and entertainment.
The quintessentially Tahoe event returns for another round of competition beginning on Sat., Jan. 18. Enthusiastic snowshoe-shod competitors will again vie for bragging rights and prizes on the beach in front of the resort’s Beacon Bar and Grill on Lake Tahoe’s south shore.
The annual event is free to enter, and complimentary snowshoes are available on site.
Spill your drinks and you lose!
The premise of the competition is pretty straightforward: The winner is the fastest to, and driest at, the finish line. In this test of balance, agility, and speed, the competitors duck, dive, and sprint around obstacles while keeping their cocktail trays steady.
The “cocktails” actually are cups filled to the brim with water colored with red food dye. This sly color choice makes it easy for the judges to ascertain who spilled the most on the snow-covered obstacle course.
“There’s lots of laughter and good-hearted razzing around klutziness,” Harrison says. “I often use the term ‘hilarious merriment’ to describe the scene.”
For their efforts, competitors can win prizes that range from sports equipment and marina rentals to dining certificates.
Registration is free for multiple race categories. Additional competition dates include Feb. 15, March 21, and April 18. All races start at 7 p.m. Registration and snowshoe fitting begin at 5 p.m. The Beacon Bar & Grill will offer beer specials to both participants and spectators.
For details, visit Camprichardson.com.
Tahoe-based writer Ann Lindemann has served cocktails at busy bars, but never ever on snowshoes. She can’t wait to spectate — and not participate in — the hilarious merriment at Camp Richardson.
