GREENFIELD — A bright Sunday afternoon was especially lively at Taylor’s Tavern — all for a good cause.
Competitors and beer enthusiasts gathered at the tavern from noon to 5 p.m. to participate in or watch the 21st annual Bartenders Shootout, benefiting the Bob Pura President’s Fund.
Pura is the president of Greenfield Community College and will be retiring after this semester. The charity raises money for student initiatives such as guest speakers and seminars.
The shootout is an annual event in which competitors slide pint glasses of beer down a 10-foot bar. The object of the game is to try to get the beer to stop as close as possible to the edge without tipping it over.
Participants paid $20 to enter the competition, but also received a shirt, souvenir glass and two beers.
Teams divided up to try their hand at sliding a glass full of beer down the table. Some made it all the way to the end without spilling a drop, and others sloshed the whole way down. Between attempts, the table was squeegeed to get rid of spilled ale.
“We had about 90 people playing and there were a lot of different teams,” said bartender Tom Blanchard.
Teams included a group from Greenfield Savings Bank, local coaches and bartenders from the area. Some participated as individuals, too.
In preparation for the upcoming Irish-themed holiday, some bartenders sported mini leprechaun hats and green face paint.
“It was very successful,” he said. “Everybody had a really good time and people are still celebrating right now.”
Bartenders from The Office in Northampton, The Victoria Bar in Greenfield, and the Greenfield coaches team represented first, second, and third place winners.
The event was sponsored by Harpoon Brewery of Windsor, Vt.
Reach Christie Wisniewski at: cwisniewski@recorder.com