Best bartender competition Thursday

A few talented area bartenders will show off their skills in Restaurant Week’s Best Bartender Competition Thursday. The free event kicks off at 7 p.m. at The Renaissance Hotel and will feature bartenders picked after an exhaustive search to uncover who can hold the crown, according to DIG Magazine. Among those participating are: Kevin Johnson from Tallulah, Jenny Gross from Sullivan’s, Trey Roth from Tsunami, George Krause IV from Doe’s Eat Place, Mary Semper from Bistro Byronz, Jana Waguespack from Capital City Grill, Garland Shurden from Rock-n-Sake, and others from The Little Village and Le Creole. Contestants will be judged by Barmetrix, a hospitality industry training company, on their skills, and Jay Ducote will vote on the mixologists’ creative and tasteful use of sponsor brands. Restaurant Week kicks off July 15. For more information and details on Restaurant Week, go to eatbr.com.