(NewsSpace.com) – The “Florida Man” moniker became so synonymous with people carrying out bizarre acts that Pet Melfi, who owns The 904 Now news outlet, decided to make an entire event out of it. The first-ever Florida Man Games took place on February 24, with multiple participants and large crowds showing up to cheer them on. It was deemed a success, and now there are talks of more happening in the future.
The first-ever event of its kind proved to be a lot of fun for those who attended. They participated in numerous events, such as the “eat the butt challenge,” where men competed to see who could eat their pork butt platter the fastest, and the “evading arrest game,” where participants ran through multiple obstacles to avoid getting thrown behind bars. They even got to run from real Florida cops without a misdemeanor or felony charge.
Other activities included a mullet contest for those who wanted to show off their “business in the front, party in the back” haircuts. Then, there was a Florida ma’am pin-up contest, where women could strive for the title by showing up in their sexiest looks.
Florida residents who attended the inaugural event said they enjoyed being able to let loose and have fun while enjoying the silliness of the games. Joshua Barr, who comes from Citrus County, said, “You’ve got to lean into the joke and lean into the absurdity of it,” while Mandy Millam noted that “Florida has a wild heart … [but] we don’t cross that line as much as people think we do.” Another guy got really candid when he said, “they’re calling these events, [but] I’m calling this [friggin’] Tuesday afternoon.”
The events were judged by former “American Gladiators” athletes, Dan Clark (Nitro) and Lori Fetrick (Ice). The latter suggested that the event organizers either add games for women next year or create a separate “Florida WOMAN Games.”
It’s not clear how many people showed up, but the organizer was expecting at least 5,000.
Copyright 2024, NewsSpace.com