ITB Crowd Lives It Up At Bahia Cabana
7th Annual End of Season BASH

Published July, 2010
By Nicol Jenkins - Editor

It’s the end of season for the hospitality industry.

For those working In The Biz, it means a time to let loose and unwind with their co-workers after a busy season.

That was the scene at Bahia Cabana’s 7th Annual End of Season bash. The three-day event kicked off with mingling among those working In The Biz and much fun and games, including bikini contests, frozen t-shirt competitions, belly flop and flair bartending contests. There were also over 143 vendors offering free samples from beer and liquor distributors, body painting, and giveaways from various local businesses and publications, including In The Biz Magazine.
Bahia Cabana also offered a full buffet and discounts on suites for those in the hospitality industry.

Overall, over 3,000 hospitality workers spent the end of their season at Bahia Cabana.

“It’s a great time to be around people that do what you do,” said Emily Foster, a bartender at Coconuts.

Scott Weissman, a banquet captain at Harbor Beach Marriott, attends the end of the season bash every year “to make connections and friends.”

“I like seeing all the local ITB people, and I also like watching the contests,” said Weissman.

Besides meeting friends and unwinding with fellow co-workers, locals also enjoyed an array of samples and bikini contests with top notch prizes ranging from $1,500 for the bikini contest winner to $1,000 for the belly flop champion.

Bill McGahey, a server at Champs, says he attended the party for the bikini contest.

“I wouldn’t miss that for the world,” he said.

Many others felt the same. Richard Stassen, Food and Beverage Director at Bahia Cabana, says the end of season bash has been such a success because of the local atmosphere, networking opportunities and, of course, the fun.

“A bunch of Fort Lauderdale restaurant owners started the end of the season party 25 to 30 years ago and brought it to Islamorada, which is now Bartenders Bash. We wanted to bring it back to Ft. Lauderdale and to the way it was originally set up to be, an opportunity for people in the business to network in a casual and inexpensive environment,” said Stassen, adding, “It’s a chance for us to have a little time off, see new products, and talk to people in the industry in a causal atmosphere.”

Over the years, Stassen says the event continues to gain popularity among the ITB crowd in Broward, Palm Beach, the West Coast and even Orlando.

“They say it takes seven years to build an event and it’s catching on,” said Stassen, “This year, we had nothing but positive feedback.”

“Everyone was well behaved and had a great time,” said Steve Carlile, Food and Beverage Manager, who organized the party with Stassen.

Stassen says the end of the season bash will continue for many years to come. Bahia Cabana also held its 8th annual golf tournament for those In The Biz and raised over $3,000 for special education programs at St. Coleman School.

“I’ve never missed a year. I love the contests and drink samples. Being a bartender is the best job I’ve ever had,” said Gregory Kito.