Distilled Spirit Festival Seeks Local Bartenders For Cocktail Competition

Distilled, a new annual spirit and cocktail festival, is back for the second year and scheduled for Saturday, June 25 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Held in conjunction with a craft spirits competition which awards gold, silver and bronze medals, it features educational presentations by local distilleries, live music and a spirits tasting. General admission tickets are $38 and include 10 1/4-ounce pours of distilled spirits or 1-ounce pours of mixed cocktails, plus admission to the San Diego County Fair.

A key part of the day will be the Distilled Cocktail Competition; organized in partnership with the San Diego chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild, it aims to award the best bartender in San Diego County, with contestants creating a signature cocktail for a live audience and judging panel. This year, festival guests will be able to sample craft cocktails curated by the USBG SD, with the theme of the contest centered around "The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland and steampunk". There's a new application process for contestants; interested bartenders should apply here before April 29.