At Highwood’s Silver Dollar Tavern, employees this week have been practicing a 40-year-old secret Bloody Mary recipe and making the saloon’s notorious garnishes of olives, cheese, pepperoni, chive cream cheese, roasted red peppers, topped with either roasted asparagus or pickles.
On Sunday, Silver Dollar has a lot to live up to. It’s defending its title as makers of the “Best Bloody Mary in the Midwest,” a distinction it won last year at the city’s Bloody Mary fest.
“We have to come back to the fest this year,” said Silver Dollar manager Tom Garrity. “We are the defending champions.”
Armed with tomatoes, vodka and and secret ingredients, about 25 contestants, professional and amateur alike, will compete Sunday at Highwood’s Bloody Mary Fest.
It’s an expanded version of the city’s Bloody Mary Fest that was held last summer on a Wednesday evening during a Farmers Market. When an unexpected 3,000 people showed up, the city decided to make it bigger and better, said Highwood alderman Eric Falberg, who spearheaded the fest.
The all-day affair kicks off at 10 a.m. along Highwood Avenue near the Metra station, adding a few new twists this year: a mimosas, smoothies, live music and family activities, city officials said.
But the spotlight will be on Bloody Mary drinks. A 12-ounce Bloody Mary drink costs about $4 and a 16-ounce drink is generally about $6 at the fest, Garrity said. Silver Dollar expects to go through four cases of tomato juice and two cases of vodka, he said.
At 2 p.m., the teams will be judged by a Chicago celebrity panel. Residents will also be able to judge in a People’s Choice Award, also won last year by Silver Dollar.
By 4:30 p.m., the judges will name the top three winners. The first-place winners in both categories will receive trophies. All competitors will be given a bottle of Van Gogh Vodka, the event’s sponsor.
The fest will also offer live music: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – The Welcome, a pop/rock band; 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. – Jeannie Tanner, a jazz musician; 2 to 3 p.m. – The Bottle Poets, a rock band; and 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. – Jen Porter, singer and songwriter.
Bloody Mary Fest is also part of Highwood’s larger fest quest that the city started about three years ago. The city, of less than 5,000 and sandwiched between the more affluent Lake Forest and Highland Park, is determined not to be ignored, Falberg said. Additionally, the unusual fest is a reflection of the city’s unique position on the North Shore as a more diverse and less populous suburb, making it an oddity in the area, he said.
As a result, Highwood’s fests have not and will not be typical, Falberg said.
For instance, the city’s annual Pumpkin Fest is the forum for Highwood’s bid to capture a Guinness World Records title. It wants the distinction of amassing the most pumpkins in one city, a record apparently held by Boston with more than 31,000 of the orange gords. Last year, Highwood got close with more than 26,000 with expectations at its annual fest this October to finally steal Boston’s pumpkin glory, Falberg said.
On Aug. 17, the city will hold its first-ever Garlic Fest, where vendors will sell everything garlic, including ice cream, cake and candy. The city also expects to crown a “Garlic Queen.”
“We are so small,” Falberg said. “We have to do something like this to get attention.”
For more information about Highwood’s fests, click here.
