The Monster Mash: Bloody Mary Challenge Returns to Northern Liberties — and You Get to Decide the Winner

The Northern Liberties Business Improvement District (NLBID) is bringing back one of Philly’s hottest Halloween traditions — Monster Mash: Bloody Mary Challenge — on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26. Now in its sixth year, this weekend-long celebration of the city’s boldest brunch beverage invites cocktail lovers to sip, stroll, and vote their way through Northern Liberties’ top bars and restaurants, each offering their own frightfully delicious twist on the Bloody Mary.

Running during daytime service across participating venues, Monster Mash transforms 2nd Street into a Halloween-themed cocktail crawl, complete with spooky garnishes, imaginative themes, and over-the-top toppings that range from seafood towers to flaming salt rims. Guests can enjoy each bloody pay-as-you-go and cast votes for their favorite creation via on-site QR codes to help crown the 2025 Monster Mash Champion.

This year’s lineup features eight bars and restaurants, each raising the bar (and the garnish) with creative concoctions:

• Bourbon & Branch (705 N 2nd St.): “Casually Calling Cthulhu!” — A roasted tomato and garlic bloody mix with pickle juice, loaded with shrimp, calamari, crab cake, and seaweed “batwings.”

• El Camino Real (1040 N 2nd St.): “Smoked Bloody Marrianne” — Bacon-infused Jim Beam and smoky bloody mix topped with a strip of bacon, pickle, pepper jack cube, and cherry tomato.

• Jerry’s Bar (129 W. Laurel St.): “Jerry’s Bloody Zombie” — A jalapeño-lime vodka floater, black salt & chamoy rim, and eerie garnishes like “eyeballs” and blood orange.

• North Third (801 N 3rd St.): “Ghost-Pacho Bloody Maria” — A spicy hybrid of Bloody Mary and gazpacho with jalapeño-infused tequila and blistered chili peppers.

• Ortlieb’s (847 N 3rd St.): “The Blood Bath” — A monstrous meal-in-a-cup topped with a smoked hotdog, pickles, onions, and served in a take-home souvenir cup.

• Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.): “Cthulhu’s Revenge” — A tomatillo-based Bloody Mary with cucumber, jalapeños, black sea salt, and a “tentacle” garnish.

• Standard Tap (901 N 2nd St.): “Nightmare on 2nd Street” — Spicy bloody mix with black vodka, flaming hot salt rim, and mozzarella “eyeballs.”

• Urban Village Brewing (1001 N 2nd St.): “Squid Game” — A Korean chili and sochu-based bloody, garnished with kimchi, pork belly, and a Dalgona cookie.

“Northern Liberties is home to some of the city’s most creative bartenders, and we love seeing how they put their spin on this iconic cocktail,” said Sydney Rexroad, Executive Director of the Northern Liberties BID. “The Monster Mash: Bloody Mary Challenge is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween, the neighborhood’s community spirit, and our incredible local food and drink scene. Whether you’re a fan of the classic or crave a wildly inventive version, there’s something for everyone.”

This year also welcomes Ortlieb’s as the newest participant, joining the competition with an eye-catching, indulgent take that’s sure to be a crowd favorite.