Free Stuff (For A Price): The Foobooz Barrio Pop-Up Contest

Remember a couple weeks back when we told you that this guy (Wheeler del Torro) was going to be coming to Philly to do a one-night-only pop-up of his Afro-Cuban concept, Barrio? Yeah, well the date for that thing is coming right up (Saturday, March 31), and we now have some additional details about tickets, prices, the rather unusual “questionnaire” that potential guests have to fill out before being granted entry–and a way for you to go for free.

That’s right, folks. It’s time for another Foobooz contest.

So here are the details for those that have to pay: Tickets are going for $150 per person (or a $100 donation to a designated charity, which is a nice touch), and in order to get tickets, you have to send a request to barriopopup@gmail.com, then fill out an application, which is basically just a questionnaire that starts out normal and then, fairly quickly, gets a little…weird.

What is your full name…What is your occupation…What is your area of education…

That’s how it starts, but then the whole thing gets a little stalker-y. Or, to put it more kindly, it gets a little match.com-y.

What was your favorite toy as a child…What is your best food memory…What would you title your autobiography…

Now granted, there’s something about this that’s charming–a notion that there’s somebody at the other end of this application process, sorting through thousands of applications and only picking the most fascinating people to attend. But really, once you start down this kind of path, it’s kind of hard to know when to stop, isn’t it?

Thus, we have conceived of a contest. What do we want from you? To add two questions to this questionnaire–the kinds of things you would ask potential dinner party guests if you could ask (and compel them to answer) any question at all.

We have a pair of (non-transferable) free tickets to give away to Wheeler’s dinner, and they’ll go to the person who comes up with the best pair of questions. Entries have to be submitted by Tuesday, March 27 at 10pm. The winner will be announced on Wednesday morning. And the contest begins…

Now.