William Faulkner said, “Put a beetle in alcohol and you have a scarab; put a Mississippian in alcohol and you have a gentleman.” Which put me in mind of preservation via alcohol, and thus “Preservation Libations Happy Hour Mix-Off,” the upcoming fundraiser for the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas next Thursday, June 25, at the Albert Pike Memorial Temple.

Here’s how this event works: Eight Central Arkansas bartenders will compete for “People’s Choice” and “Master Mixologist” awards. In the first round, everyone attending will sample the bartenders’ mixological skills — they’ll be serving their favorite “pre-prohibition drinks” (presumably because they are of an era that HPAA seeks to preserve) — and vote for their favorite drinks by putting swizzle sticks in containers at each bartender station. You can get more than one swizzle stick but it will cost you — $2! In round two, the bartenders will mix drinks for the “Best in the Business” judges, who’ll award the “Master Mixologist” award.

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Tending bar will be Sarah Harrington (Heights Taco & Tamale); Merrick Fagan (Trio’s); Spencer Mahan (SO); Michael Peace (109 & Co.); Neil Pedrick (Ciao Baci); Ben Seay (Big Orange); Kevis Smith (Cache), and Luiggi Uzcategui (Afterthought Bistro & Bar). Judges are Matt Bell (South on Main chef); Jamie Brandon (president of Preserve Arkansas); Phil Brandon (Rock Town Distillery); Christopher Crane (Arkansas Film Commission); Kramer Darragh (Darragh Co.); Joel DiPippa, cocktail aficionado; Spencer Jansen (formerly of the Capital Hotel) and Blair Wallace (De Nux Distributors). 

In case you are thinking that eight samples at two ounces each, which works out, I believe, to 16 ounces of booze, won’t be enough, there will be an open bar serving beer and wine. This evening, you’ll be a gentleman or gentlewoman for sure, even if you are not from Mississsippi. 

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There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres to soak up some of the booze and music by the Funkanites. The event runs 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $40 to $2,500. (HPPA members get a $5 discount.)

Now, about those pre-Prohibition drinks: I checked out some on the Internet and discovered that a favorite drink of my youth — which was post-Prohibition, thank you — is 19th century refreshment: The Tom Collins. Love to have one of those, especially if it meant my dollars were going to the HPAA, which works to preserve Arkansas’s tangible history.

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