Like the Guitar Hero version of Tom Sawyer set to Expert level, this Rush demands to be Crushed. Or since this is Chicago, maybe it needs to be Shellacโ€™ed. Either way, the La Marzocco team competition is coming to the Second City tomorrow, August 23rd, and thereโ€™s still time to get involved!

Taking place at the Caffe Umbria roastery, Crush the Rush is essentially a coffee good time in the guise of a competition that pits teams of three against one another in hand-to-hand barista combat. Combat in this case comes via eight pristine drinksโ€”no spills, no stains, just a perfectly made beverageโ€”and the requisite โ€œside work,โ€ which could be anything really, all under the immense pressure of a time trial. After the time trial, a finals round will occur, and the team with the best shops will be crowned the Rush Crushers of Chicago.

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But itโ€™s not all go go go competition, Crush the Rush is so much more. Along with coffee and pastries as well as lunch provided by La Marzocco, attendees are welcome to take part in a barista ergonomics talk, โ€œThe Right Way To Stay Health Behind The Bar,โ€ delivered by the Director of Physical Medicine at Aligned Modern Health, Dr. Steve Heffner.

Due to cancellations, competitor slots have re-opened for Crush the Rush Chicago, so if youโ€™ve got two other quick-acting friends, you can sneak right and steal all the glory for yourselves. All you have to do is register via Eventbrite, which can be done here, all for free!

For those looking to Rush but maybe not so much Crush (read: compete), the whole shebang is completely free to attend and no tickets are required. La Marzocco does ask that you RSVP via the Facebook event page. Itโ€™s all going down tomorrow, August 23rd at Caffe Umbriaโ€™s roastery. For more information on Crush the Rush, check out La Marzoccoโ€™s official website, their Facebook event page, or the Eventbrite page.

Zac Cadwaladerย is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas.ย Read more Zac Cadwaladerย on Sprudge.

All images via La Marzocco

Disclosure: Sprudge is the official media partner of Crush The Rush.

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