The sweltering summer heat isn’t giving up anytime soon, so Sunny’s Lounge Say Less has devised a solution to quell those hot-day blues: Christmas in July! Experience the magic, sleigh some cocktails, whisper your wish in Santa’s ear and maybe even get a chance to experience the bar’s resident ghost, Loretta, who’s been haunting the halls for over 30 years.
Sunny’s Lounge is the brainchild of Barter & Shake, the cocktail entertainment group behind Century Grand (Platform 18, UnderTow and Grey Hen Rx). Barter & Shake is currently nominated for two Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s 18th Annual Spirited Awards®, which means the mixologists behind the cocktails at Sunny’s Lounge know what they’re doing.
The Christmas in July Costume Contest offers cash prizes for Best Dressed and Most Original. Whether you don reindeer antlers, ugly sweaters, or channel your inner Grinch, come ready to impress Loretta and the costume judges.
“Who needs snow? We’re trading triple digits for frosty festivities, spicing things up with mistletoe and dancing our seasonal depression away with DJ Santa,” Cortnie Cozeck, Director of Operations at Barter & Shake, said.
Here’s a rundown of the Christmas in July festivities:
• Sunday, July 21: Christmas Dinner Potluck hosted by Sunny’s Lounge regulars. It’s an evening of BYOEBB (Bring Your Own Everything but Booze)! Bring enough to share with Sunny’s family – dinner starts at 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 24: VIP Happy Hour drink specials. Bring your black poker chips for great discounts. Don’t have a black poker chip yet? Swing by and make your case from 4-7 p.m.
• Friday, July 26: Costume Contest from 7-11 p.m. Very few rules apply: Holiday gear and holiday cheer. Nudity is fun, but it cannot be part of this contest, no matter how hot it is out there!
• Friday, July 26, Saturday, July 27: Dance party with DJ Santa – also known as DJ Scatterbrain! The records start spinning at 9 p.m.
Sunny’s Lounge will have a specialty cocktail menu filled with Christmas-inspired favorites, including Feliz! Feliz! Cold Apple Pie, Zephyr Winter Tonic, and Let It Snow. For shot-seekers, Fancy Pants Jell-O Shots will be available in constantly changing flavors.
“There aren’t very many things to celebrate in Phoenix during July. So as my dad used to say, sometimes you have to bring your own fun! Having a little Xmas cheer mid-July is exactly what he meant, I’m sure of it!” Mat Snapp, EVP of Operations at Barter & Shake, said.
This month’s events are just the prequel. Santa’s Love Shack – a Christmas pop-up throughout December – will also take place at the cocktail lounge. Sunny’s Lounge Say Less is located at 2701 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. For more, visit drinkmoresayless.com.
