CupidCon bar crawl hits Berkeley on Valentine's Day

La Botella Republic's "Sangria de Amor" is one of the specials you'll find Saturday during Berkeley's first CupidCon bar crawl. Image: Quirkeley — La Botella Republic’s “Sangria de Amor” is one of the specials you’ll find Saturday during Berkeley’s first CupidCon bar crawl. Image: Quirkeley

Downtown Berkeley will host a new bar crawl called CupidCon on Saturday for Valentine’s Day.

Eleven bars and restaurants are set to host events from 1-5 p.m., organizers say, including Perdition Smokehouse and Triple Rock Brewery. Other participating venues include Beta Lounge, BUILD Pizzeria, Bobby G’s Pizzeria, Eureka! burger, East Bay Spice Company, FIVE Restaurant & Bar, La Botella Republic, Revival Bar + Kitchen and Sliver Pizzeria.

The Downtown Berkeley Association organized the free event: “Whether you love or hate this notorious holiday, CupidCon will lift your spirits with the best drink specials downtown Berkeley has to offer.”

Just check in at the Downtown Berkeley BART plaza from 1-2:30 p.m. to pick up your official wristband and scavenger hunt list. Directions for scavenger hunt participation appear below. (NB: Check-in is required to receive drink specials but participation is free.)

Use your wristband to get drink specials from locations on the map, then head to Build at 5 p.m., “where one of our cupids will tally up your scavenger hunt pics and prizes will be awarded for best costume. If you’ve captured everything on the list, you’ll win a gift certificate to one of the participating bars – while supplies last.” One gift certificate will be awarded per team.

The event promises a “Cupid-themed costume contest sponsored by Yelp.” A themed photo scavenger hunt completes the afternoon. Those who want to dress up are encouraged to “dress in pink, hearts or even a full cupid costume.”

Grand marshals Kelly Ross-Journey and Alyssa Journey, the Arkansas couple who married at BART plaza last year, will kick off the event at BART Plaza.

Berkeleyside’s interactive map appears below, along with drink specials in a list beneath it. Scroll down to see a video, from Quirkeley, about the event.

Drink special details

Beta Lounge: $5 “Heartache” (vodka, muddled raspberries, lemon juice, club soda), $1 off draft beers, $5 glasses of wine
BUILD Pizzeria: Happy Hour prices ($3 selected beers, $5 selected wines, $6 selected cocktails, $8.80 all signature cocktails), Valentine’s HIS and HER cocktail special
Bobby G’s Pizzeria: $1 off all beers and glasses of wine; $2 off pitchers; 20% off all bottles of wine
Eureka!: $2 off all draft and bottled beer (except rotating and $3 handles), $2 off all wine, $2 off Buffalo Trace cocktails and Fugu Vodka by Ballast Point cocktails (excludes signature cocktails)
East Bay Spice Company: $9 Valentine’s Day cocktails, $1 off select draft beer
FIVE Restaurant & Bar: $9 Valentine’s Day cocktails – “Change of Heart” (gin, blackberry shrub, apricot brandy, lavender syrup), “Bleeding Heart Daiquiri” with blood orange & kiwi shrub, “Tokyo Rose” (sake, raspberry puree, lime juice, pomegranate)
La Botella Republic: $6 “True Love” sangria, $6 “Michelada con Amor”
Perdition Smokehouse: $1 off all beers, $1 off wine by the glass
Revival Bar + Kitchen: $1 off special Valentine’s Day cocktails
Sliver Pizzeria: 20% off all drinks (meaning $4 beer, $4.80 glasses of wine, $5 cocktails)
Triple Rock Brewery: $1 off special Valentine’s Day beer – Dimmer Switch Chocolate Milk Stout

Scavenger hunt details:

Pick up a bar crawl map that includes the scavenger hunt list from Berkeley BART Plaza from 1-2:30 p.m.
Upload pics to Twitter, Instagram or Facebook and tag them with the hashtags #BerkCupidCon and #TeamYourTeamName
Meet at Build at 5 p.m. to tally your pics and claim your gift certificate. One gift certificate per team while they last.

Costume contest details:

Take a photo of your costume or your team costumes
Upload your pics to Twitter or Instagram and tag them with @YelpEastBay and the hashtags #BerkCupidCon and #YourTeamName
Meet at Build at 5 p.m. to learn the winner
Yelp Goodie bag and Elite Event tickets awarded to individual or team with best costume

Learn more on the Downtown Berkeley Association website, and on the Facebook event page. See the flier.

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