(Okoboji)– Additional numbers are in from this year’s Battle of The Bartenders. The January 22nd event raised a little more than $14,000 in one hour alone and has brought in more than $150,000 for selected charities since its founding 12 years ago. In honor and memory of company founder Butch Parks, the Parks Marina family matched the earnings from this year’s event, bringing the night’s total to $28,606. Also this year, all charities were guaranteed $500 after the match, with the five splitting the remaining amount.
Puff’s Lounge won this year’s competition with Mother Natures finishing 2nd, The Outback 3rd, The Still Bar and Grill 4th and The Refuge Bar and Grill 5th.
More than $3,000 raised in other Winter Games events at Parks Marina also went to various charities and organizations. Proceeds from those events were matched by Doll Distributing.
Battle of the Bartenders 2026 participants:
Barefoot Bar– benefiting Shayla Bee
Boji Nites– benefiting Boot Campaign
Cruise Okoboji– benefiting Families of the Fallen
Indian Hills– benefiting Iowa Food Bank Backpack Program
Lost Gar & Paddlefish Bar– benefiting the Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club
Lucky Hole Pub– benefiting Ronald McDonald House
Mother Natures– benefiting Gavin Franker (battling brain cancer)
Mullets– benefiting Veterans of Foreign Wars Spirit Lake
Nektar– benefiting the Discovery House
O’Farrell Sisters– benefiting Keep Okoboji Blue
Okoboji Barn– benefiting Hope Lodge
Okoboji Dough Company– benefiting the Humane Society of Northwest Iowa
Peacock Lounge– benefiting the school lunch debt of Spirit Lake, Lake Park & Okoboji
Puff’s– benefiting University of Iowa Children’s Hospital (in memory of Carson Chase)
Silo 67– benefiting Fairmont Opera House Capital Campaign
Snappers– benefiting the Butch Parks Scholarship for Trade Education
The Outback– benefiting Rick Hartwig (battling ALS)
The Refuge– benefiting Lakes Regional Diabetes Fund
The Still Bar & Grill– benefiting Angelic Mission
The Venue– benefiting Fallen Soldiers
Toast on Hill– benefiting People For Pets
The Waterfront– benefiting Special Youth Challenge
