Florida Man Games has a weird new event, stops taking team submissions soon. How to apply

Floridians can be strange. Some of us say things like “jiffy feet,” we might ask Google questions like “ What do I do if there’s a gator in my yard? ” and we’re now known nationwide for spawning the “Florida man.”

If you haven’t paid attention to Sunshine State news headlines within the past 10 years: “Florida Man” isn't just the title of a Netflix series . It’s what we call the kind of person who would attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a hamster wheel or throw a live gator into a Wendy’s drive-through window.

In February, a sort-of Olympic games for people who consider themselves “Florida Men,” took place in St. Augustine, with teams of men competing in challenges like “beer belly sumo wrestling” and an “evading arrest obstacle course.”

The Florida Man Games are officially coming back in 2025 and they’re currently accepting submissions from those who want to assemble a team and compete. And the organizers of the games released an announcement last week, introducing a new challenge to the 2025 games: "Hurricane Party Prep: Grocery Aisle Brawl."

The games stop taking submissions in September, so there's only a month left to apply. Here’s how to apply to compete in the 2025 Florida Man Games and what's changing about the games next year.

What are Florida Man games? Where were the 2024 Florida Man Games?

The Florida Man Games were held at Francis Field in downtown St. Augustine on Saturday, February 24. But next year, the games will be held at a new venue, according to a May press release from the games’ organizers.

“Just when the world thought Floridians couldn’t Florida any wilder, they did. The Florida Man Games returns on March 1st, 2025, and how it got insured for round 2, no one will ever know,” the press release said.

“This irreverent competition, where the state’s most unruly residents serve as demigods of athletic prowess, is getting even weirder with new competitions, more insane teams, and a brand-new venue.”

At the 2024 Florida Man Games, teams of Florida men went head-to-head in challenges like weaponized pool noodle mud dueling, an “evading arrest” obstacle course, a category 5 hurricane winds cash grab, beer belly Florida sumo wrestling and more.

There was also a “Florida Ma’am” pinup competition and other activities for attendees, like chicken bingo and a mullet competition.

The evading arrest obstacle course will return at the 2025 games, along with new challenges like “the Florida sumo cage match,” and enough space for tailgating.

And last week, the games announced the addition of the "Hurricane Party Prep: Grocery Aisle Brawl."

“Yeah, this new event definitely comes straight from the headlines and personal experience,” Pete Melfi,event organizer and founder of the games said in the announcement.

“You can’t call yourself a Florida man or woman if you haven’t wrestled with someone on aisle eight for the last case of water, while Jim Cantori’s voice screams in your head that you need to start stockpiling supplies. This event is going to produce some great moments, and I think our champions will really rise to the occasion.”

The event will be moving its location and date next year, to the St. Johns County Fairgrounds, on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

“We’re expecting an even bigger crowd at next year’s event, so it made sense to move out to the St. Johns County Fairgrounds, where we’ll have more space, a covered arena, and this year, we’re excited to introduce an RV tailgating area,” Melfi said in the May press release.

Early bird ticket sale: Tickets for the 2025 Florida Games are already on sale. Here’s how much they cost

How to enter the 2025 Florida Man Games

The games started accepting participant applications on Monday, May 13 and will stop accepting applications on September 1.

Here are the requirements:

• You have to compete with a team: Teams must consist of three to five members, all 18 years of age or older, with at least one being 21 years of age or older as of March 1, 2025.
• You have to be a Florida resident: All team members will need to prove their Florida residency.
• You have to submit a video showing all team members.
• Get creative, have fun, and be memorable.
• Only 12 teams will be accepted, each representing a different city to compete in the 2025 Florida Man Games.

To submit a team video, visit The Florida Man Games website here . The window to apply to compete in the 2025 games closes on September 1, 2024.

“Last year’s winner, Hanky Spanky, epitomized Florida greatness. If you’ve got grit in your gut and Florida in your heart, send us a short video showing what your team can do," Melfi said. "Remember – have fun, don’t get arrested, and don’t die!”

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Florida Man Games has a weird new event, stops taking team submissions soon. How to apply