Haute Event: Rum on the River

Summer may be waning, but there are still a few more weeks to get outside, enjoy the city and slowly sip a refreshing cocktail. Or two. Or (and we highly suggest a designated driver in this instance) 25? Head to the Delaware Riverfront on Thursday, August 19 and you’ll be able to do just that as a slew of sweet sips are poured at the Rum on the River Cane Spirits Festival.

An annual tradition, this year’s event will be held at the Octo Waterfront Grille. The celebration’s centerpiece is the unlimited tasting of 25 of the world’s most highly esteemed rums, with everyone — including Bacardi, El Dorado, Leblon, Cruzan and Tommy Bahama — on hand to show of their smooth sugarcane elixirs. If you have a few too many, sober up at the tropical dinner buffet or dance it off to the tunes of samba band The Pagode Project.

The evening also includes the third annual Mojito Olympics, an event in which eight bartenders and mixologists show off their muddling and shaking skills to create the perfect refreshing beverage. Six celebrity judges will determine the Master of Mojitos after three rounds of fierce competition.

If that’s not enough, sign up for the El Dorado VIP Happy Hour for specialty cocktails, butlered hors d’oeuvres and a special swag bag.

It’s a spectacular way to enjoy the summer sunset and toast the last of the heat and humidity before falls blows in. Just the thing to raise your spirits.

Rum on the River will be held at 221 North Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia. Tickets are $70. To purchase or for additional information on the event, visit www.rumontheriver.com.