The snow has long melted as temperatures climb over 80 in our beloved ski town, meaning it’s time for Park City’s annual Savor the Cocktail contest, a month-long competition where the community votes for the best cocktail and mocktail among the town’s mixologists.

But this contest wasn’t always just about crowning a winner; it started more than 20 years ago as a way to drive awareness that yes, you can get an alcoholic drink in Park City, said Ginger Wicks, the executive director of Park City Area Restaurant Association.

“In the early years of Park City, Utah had this cloud hanging over them that you couldn’t get a drink in Utah, and so it was a fun way to combat that messaging,” she said.

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The event began as a one-night contest where winners were chosen by a panel of judges. But after a while, the community spoke up about wanting to be more involved in choosing their town’s best summer cocktail. So the contest moved to an online format, said Wicks, where individuals could vote for the best cocktail. And rather than just one night, it expanded to be held over a full month.

“Because tasting 20 cocktails in a night is not a safe environment for anyone,” Wicks said with a laugh.

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Of course, driving business to the restaurants and bars around town was an added bonus, she said, as one of the goals of the restaurant association is to ensure their members’ establishments are always active.

Four years ago, contest also added a mocktail category to increase accessibility and provide another avenue for mixologists to experiment in their craft and “get their creative juices flowing,” said Wicks. Some submit a sister cocktail and mocktail, while others opt for two entirely different drinks.

The rules this year are the same as last: the drink must include two Summit County-based purveyors and must follow Utah’s liquor laws. These ingredients can be anything from honey and juice, to distillers like Alpine Distilling and High West Distillery, to even, like in previous years, bacon.

“That’s been fun to highlight, beyond the cocktails, the unique offerings that our community has in terms of purveyors,” said Wicks. 

Voting will open July 1, and anyone age 21 or older with a valid email address can vote once for each cocktail and mocktail. In order for a vote to be submitted, Wicks said a verification email is sent out to prevent voting fraud, a problem they’ve faced in the past.

First place gets a $500 cash prize, added print, digital and radio marketing efforts, and the best part, bragging rights.

New entries this year are Palomino Park City, Pine Cone Ridge and The Goldener Hirsch Inn, said Wicks. Last year’s winner, Mixologist Reagan Chung at Handle, is back for more with a cocktail titled “Gin & Juice” and its sister mocktail, “Juice.”

Here is a list of establishments, their submitted cocktails and mocktails, and their mixologists to plan your cocktail-hopping month. Visit the association’s website for more information including the drink recipes, and to vote for your favorite cocktail, at parkcityrestaurants.com.

• Alpine Distilling, Green Smoke, Mixologist Blaire Dernback
• Blind Dog Restaurant and Raw Bar, Chocolate Almond Biscotti, Mixologist Jeffrey Just
• Butcher’s Chop House & Bar, Homerun, Mixologists Katelyn Fraser and Ryan Long
• Cena Ristorante, Cena Old Fashion, Mixologist Jonathan MacCord
• Collies Sports Bar & Grill, Watermelon Shandy, Mixologist Sam Rennert
• Courchevel Bistro, Alpenglow, Mixologist Bill White
• Flanagan’s on Main, Jupiter’s Clover, Mixologist Clay Rosica
• Grubsteak Restaurant, Summit Summers, Mixologist Anne Kent
• Handle, Gin & Juice, Mixologist Reagan Chung
• Handle, Juice (mocktail), Mixologist Reagan Chung
• Hearth and Hill, Dragon Ball Z, Mixologist Scott Stebbings
• Hearth and Hill, Spirit Bomb (mocktail), Mixologist Scott Stebbings
• KITA, Melon + Olive, Mixologist Jack Schulz
• Palomino Park City, Mountain Town Martini, Mixologist Ashley Smith
• Pine Cone Ridge, Lavender Summit, Mixologist Victor Wilson
• Red Trail Grill, Uphill Old Fashion, Mixologist Christopher Devol
• Riverhorse on Main, Strawberry Fields Forever, Mixologist Sam Truslow
• Silver Star Café, Gingered Guava Mezcalita, Mixologist Corey Kikos
• Troll Hallen Lounge at Stein Eriksen Lodge, DIPA JULEP, Mixologist Ahmet Demir
• Tupelo, Moon Dust, Mixologist Mike Ranallo
• The Goldener Hirsch Inn, Wildflower, Mixologist Faccindo Acosta