Hot Babes in Bikinis for Bucks

There are few things more cliché than a bikini contest in Fort Lauderdale. Since the first humans walked upright (and all the good bits became front and center), mankind (emphasis on man) has been evolving toward the bikini contest. Why else would we have evolved to be so hairless? So what could possibly put a new twist on such a contest at the “Bikinis and Fire Luau 11th Anniversary Party” at Tarpon Bend in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale? Here’s a hint — it isn’t the fire luau part. It’s the economy. With a $500 first-place and $300 second-place cash prize, these days, even the most hardcore feminist might have to stop and consider it. But not just any babe off the beach can enter this contest. Aspiring contestants must email a short bio and a couple of obligatory bikini shots to contest@tarponbend.com. Even if you’re not chosen for swimsuit greatness, show up at 6 p.m. Saturday to drink your rejection away and sway to live reggae. Be dazzled by the fire show from 8 to 9 p.m., and then stay to ogle the bikini contenders at 9:30 p.m. at Tarpon Bend, located at 200 SW Second St. in Fort Lauderdale. No cover. Call 954-523-3233, or visit tarponbend.com.
Sat., Aug. 14, 6 p.m., 2010