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Do you have what it takes to be a Florida Man? Tryouts open for 2025 Florida Man Games

Portrait of Gianna Montesano Gianna Montesano
Treasure Coast Newspapers

Do you consider yourself a "Florida Man?"

If so, here's your chance to prove it at the second annual Florida Man Games next year, where you could follow in the footsteps of the "Vero Man" team from Indian River County that won second place in the inaugural event this year.

The 2025 tryouts will be at 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, at 50 Ellis St., Suite 203 in St. Augustine.

Here's what to know about the 2025 Florida Man Games.

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What is the Florida Man Games?

The inaugural Florida Man Games were held Feb. 24 in St. Augustine, allowing residents to challenge themselves to competitions that poke fun at the state's reputation for bizarre stories. Contestants competed in these games:

  • Weaponized Pool Noodle Mud Duel (Individual and Group) – “Test your strength inside the Florida Man Games Colosseum (Massive Above Ground Pool).”
  • Evading Arrest Obstacle Course (Individual and Group) – “Jump over fences, through backyards, and away from actual police officers to earn your freedom!”
  • Category 5 Cash Grab (Individual and Group) – “Subject yourself to Category 5 winds as you scramble to catch as much real cash as you can.”
  • A Catalytic Converter, 2 Bikes and a Handful of Copper Pipes: Race Against Time (Individual and Group) – “Compete head-to-head in a race that lets you live a day in the life of a Florida man headline.”
  • Beer Belly Florida Sumo (Individual and Group) – “Dive into the beer belly of the beast as you try to blast your opponent out of the ring.”
  • Chicken Coop Bingo – “Two chickens will decide whether you win or lose in this fun, dirty game inspired by our Floridian family in places like Deland or Interlachen, where they literally do this for fun because they don't know that cell phones exist yet
  • 911 Fight Night: Brawl of the Badges – “Watch officers take on firefighters in the Brawl of the Badges main event as the Florida Man Games comes to a close. This epic showdown promises to be intense as these heroes clash in battle to prove who's the toughest behind the badge.”

How can I sign up for the Florida Man Games 2025?

The games stopped accepting video applications in September, but there will be one more chance to try out in person at the first-ever Florida Man Games scouting event this weekend.

New additions to the game requirements this year include the scouting combine and a requirement of one woman on each team. Teams that already applied still need to attend tryouts. And if you haven't gotten a team together to apply yet, you can still apply and register for tryouts on the Florida Man Games website.

Here are the requirements:

  • Only 12 teams will be accepted, each representing a different city to compete in the 2025 Florida Man Games. 
  • 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. You must have a woman on your team for the 2025 games.
  • You have to be a Florida resident: All team members will need to prove their Florida residency.

When are the 2025 Florida Man Games?

The second Florida Man Games will take place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 1, 2025, at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds in Elkton. General admission tickets are $45 and VIP tickets are $145.

2024 winning teams

  1. Hanky Spanky, St. Johns County - 58 points
  2. Vero Man, Indian River County - 48 points
  3. Ronin Space Cadets, Brevard County - 47 points
  4. Screaming Eagles, Unknown county  - 45 points
  5. Storm Surge, Duval County - 43 points
  6. Cooter Commanders, Citrus County - 39 points
  7. Miami Mango Boiz, Dade County- 31 points
  8. Swamp A**, Flagler County - 29 points
  9. Rattlesnakes, Escambia County - 25 points
  10. El Diablo and the Firecrackers, Alachua County - 24 points
  11. Hatchet Pro Wrestling, St. Johns County- 18 points
  12. Red Eyes Gator Hunters, Volusia County - 17 points

Samantha Neely and Lianna Norman contributed to this report.

Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at [email protected], 772-409-1429, or follow her on X @gonthescene.