'Florida Man Games' Set for Inaugural Event

For years, Americans have been entertained by the “Florida Man” phenomenon, as countless residents of the Sunshine State make headlines doing ridiculous things that put them in sticky situations. Now, locals will be able to put their Florida Man skills to the test. 

The first-ever Florida Man Games are set to take place in St. Augustine, FL on Feb. 24. Described as a “one-of-a-kind Floridian spectacle” on its website, it will feature a wide array of unique competitions that speak to the craziness of Florida Man headlines. Among the events are beer belly wrestling, a pool noodle mud duel, a mullet contest, and an “evading arrest” obstacle course with a chase by real police. To close out the day, firefighters and police officers will face off in a “brawl of the badges.” Dan “Nitro” Clark and Lori “Ice” Fetrick, two former stars of the hit ’90s competition show American Gladiators, will serve as referees for the events. 

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The man behind the games, Pete Melfi, is a St. Augustine resident and owner of a local media outlet. The Florida Man Games are a way to celebrate the wackiest news about the state’s most unhinged people. 

“We thought, ‘How can we really play on these Florida Man headlines that we hear so much about?’ Someone gave me the idea to make it into an athletic competition,” Melfi told The Orlando Sentinel. “It’s going to be a wild day of mud games and Florida-style obstacle courses. It’s going to really be an opportunity to live that Florida Man life for a day.”

With the Florida Man Games set to be the largest gathering of Florida Men to date, it’s entirely possible the competition will produce wild headlines of its own.