bocce

Rent an Event Kit For Your Next Backyard Party

August 26, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Want to add some fun to your backyard party? But don’t want to buy all the games for a one time event, and don’t have room in the garage to store them. No worries- use event drop to rent a party kit that will be dropped off at your house. Kits run from $75 – $125 and that includes delivery, setup and pickup for a 12 hour event.

AJ Ferguson has launched this business as a side hustle that will deliver a box trailer full of tables, chairs, a sound system, yard games, trash cans, extension cords, and more. We asked him where the inspiration for this event came from.

Giant Connect 4

AJ: A while back I was working on a bunch of events within a week or two, and I had all the usual event supplies piled high in the back of my car. I realized my week was going to be much easier if I just left it all in the car, so I did. From then forward I found myself frequently wishing my event kit could always be packed and ready to go. That’s where the event-in-a-box approach started to take shape.

We plan to add more event essentials into the kits over the coming year, but we’re starting with the fun stuff like yard games and sport courts (volleyball, badminton, pickleball). When I was a kid, I would put hours into preparing the backyard for my family’s parties. I’d measure out a full wiffle ball stadium, make sure the

Giant Jenga

volleyball net was perfectly taut, and even made my dad buy field marking paint from Tuffy Brooks so I could line the volleyball court. He loves it as much as I do, so he always came through.

I know you’ve been talking about this for a while, why now?

AJ: More than anything else, it was the not so busy evenings and weekends of the pandemic that pushed me to finally put all the pieces together. I realized that the stay at home order was an opportunity to take on the projects I had always wanted to finish, and this one was very high on the list. The top project on the list was proposing to my fiancé, Meggie. That went well, so I figured I should keep going on the Event Drop idea, too. She’s been especially helpful getting it

Spikeball

off the ground, and she frequently reminded me that I would always regret not giving it a real shot.

Launching an event rental business during a pandemic isn’t ideal. We want people to enjoy the event kits safely. They’re great for creating a special day in the backyard with your family or close friends, but we hope people wait to throw that big backyard bash until it’s safe to do so.

How did you determine what games to start with?
AJ: I’ve kept a running list of games that others suggested or that caught my attention at some point. I chose these 8 because they invite a variety of skill and intensity levels. I’m probably most excited about introducing people to some of the less widely known games like Kubb and Molkky.

How much advance notice do folks need to reserve?

Molkky

AJ: Earlier is better of course. For now now there’s only one of each game, so if we’ve already booked it for someone else you’re likely going to be out of luck. That said, we want people to submit a request no matter how quick the turnaround is. We’ll follow up to let them know whether it’s available and whether we think we can pull it off.

Do folks have to be at home when you drop off or pick up?
AJ: Generally yes. We’ll work with customers to find times that work because we’ll want to go over what’s in the kit and talk through any final questions or concerns. If there are unique circumstances, we’re open to developing a more creative solution. While we’re still new we’d rather use these special cases to help us improve the business than turn someone away.What is the charge if you are outside the 15 mile delivery radius?

Bocce

AJ: We aren’t looking to nickel-and-dime anyone on the delivery radius. If we can get to you in 20-25 minutes, we’re going to make it work within the listed pricing. From there we’ll add $15 for every extra 10 minutes of total travel time. It’s definitely an area we’ll fine tune after we have some more deliveries under our belt.

Anything else you want to share?

AJ: Event Drop is a social enterprise. It’s a for-profit business, but we’re here to help make our community better and brighter, too. Parties, events, and games bring people together and we hope Event Drop makes it easier to gather family, friends, colleagues, or neighbors over and over again. We hope you’ll try it out and help us find ways to keep improving.

Free Prince Tribute Concert Headlines Garlic Fest

June 20, 2017 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Prince Tribute Band FREE CONCERT, July 22 at GARLIC FEST

Dayton Most Metro has EXCLUSIVE scoop on a free concert coming to the 2017 Garlic Fest Saturday evening, July 22nd.

A Prince Tribute band out of Chicago and Columbus, called “Prince Night” will perform hits from “Cream” to “Little Red Corvette,” and everything in between. There may even be a Sheila E. and Appolonia song or two.

Get ready to party like it’s “1999,” because the concert will go off “Purple Rain” or shine…

The band is set to hit the stage Saturday Night July 22nd at 7:30pm.

Beer and Food Vendors on Hand

The concert is FREE and will take place at the
Sons of Italy Bella Villa Hall
on 2625 County Line Rd,
Beavercreek, OH 45430.
Many of you may know this site from September’s Italian Fall Festa, Dayton’s annual Italian Festival.

Folding chairs are welcome.
FYI no pets are allowed on premises due to insurance reasons.

Get Ready to Party Like its 1999 with Prince’s Greatest Hits

Come out to the Garlic Festival for an unforgettable night of Food, Adult Drinks, Music, and more.

The Bocce Classic will also be underway, so you can watch one of the biggest Bocce Tournaments in the nation kick off.

Garlic Fest is part of a huge weekend at the Sons of Italy lodge. Here is a breakdown of the weekend’s festivities.

All the songs you love from Prince !

FRIDAY JULY 21st – 5pm-10pm
SONS OF ITALY FOOD TRUCK RALLY
-Food Truck Rally with 15 Trucks
-Beer Trucks & Wine
-Free Acoustic Band
-Craft Booths
-Beginner Bocce Ball Tournament called the “Bocce Bash” This is for charity and some local celebs will be on hand.
We need teams! Sign up here, but you must be a complete bocce beginner !
-10pm-11pm Food and Beer Vendors shut down

We expect a big, fun crowd for this festival!

SATURDAY JULY 22nd – 11am-10pm
GARLIC FEST & PRINCE TRIBUTE CONCERT
-15 Local Restaurants & Food Vendors
-Craft Booths
-Beer Trucks & Wine
-Free Cooking Demos inside the Bella Villa Hall noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm
-1pm-4pm Live Band “Blue Caboose”
-5pm Garlic Eating Contest
-6pm Bocce Classic Tournament Kickoff
-7:30pm Prince Tribute Band “Prince Night”
-10pm-11pm Food and Beer Vendors shut down

SUNDAY JULY 23rd 9am – ?

Concert begins approx 730pm

BOCCE CLASSIC BOCCE BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
-Beer Sales
-Italian Food
–Enter a team in the tournament click here

So “Let’s Go Crazy” on July 22nd when “doves are sure to cry..” Just “Take Me with U” and wear your “Rasberry Beret.”

It’s GARLIC FEST 2017, and we want your extra time and your …. “Kiss.”

Bocce Ball Tournament Same Weekend

Tiem for a FOOD ADVENTURE !

Purple Garlic

READY TO ROCK ?

Lots of food vendors, tables and chairs, but Folding Chairs are also welcome

The magic of PRINCE NIGHT begins July 22nd ….

FIRST CONCERT IN OHIO !

PRINCE FANS and 80’s MUSIC LOVERS !

Purple for the night ….

There will be singing and dancing to the Prince tunes

Garlic Fest Announces Food Vendors for Sunday

July 15, 2016 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Bacon Wrapped, Grilled Chicken Legs.

Another exclusive scoop for our Food Adventure fans. Sons of Italy Lodge, Dayton Most Metro and Dayton Dining have finalized the food vendors for Sunday’s Garlic Fest.

Are you a foodie? Then Daytonians, this weekend is your chance to eat, drink and be garlicky all while listening to one of Columbus’ favorite bands, The Danger Brothers. Cooking Demos, beer, garlic eating contest and craft vendors fill out an all star lineup..

Fasten your garlic burps, here we go !!!

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— WHAT: GARLIC FEST and BOCCE CLASSIC

Upstate NY Hot Dog

— WHEN: SUNDAY, JULY 17th from NOON- 8PM

— WHERE: BELLA VILLA HALL – 2625 County Line Rd, Beavercreek

— WHAT ELSE: FREE ADMISSION – FOOD VENDORS – CRAFT VENDORS – BEER TRUCKS

— FREE COOKING DEMOS – inside the Bella Villa Hall Main room

1pm Our own JACKIE SCANLAN aka “HUNGRY JAX” from Food Adventures

2pm Our own LEEANNE “CHEF HOUSE” from Food Adventures and HouseMade Sriracha

3pm Special guest, CHEF ANNE KEARNEY, 2 times James Beard award winner and owner of Rue Dumaine

— GARLIC EATING CONTEST 4:45pm by the stage – Prize money is $100.. can you beat the competition ???

— FREE CONCERT by THE DANGER BROTHERS 5pm – 8 pm – a RARE Dayton appearance by the band you know from Buckeye’s games Hiney Gate Parties on Lane Ave. PARTY ROCK N ROLL at its most fun – HANG ON SLOOPY – Could be the biggest O… H.. I … O chant in Dayton history.

GARLIC FEST FOOD VENDORS:

1) FRICKER’S – We smell garlic chicken on the horizon! Dayton’s chicken experts roll the truck in for some good eats.

2) TEXAS BEEF AND CATTLE CO. – Slow cook BBQ experts on the premises.. We expect garlic rubbed brisket among other slow smoked specialties. Meats! Meats! Meats!

Garlic Boneless Wings

3) GIOVANNI’S – Fairborn’s legendary Italian restaurant brings the garlic eats. Expect some hearty, filling menu items here.

4) SWEET P’S HANDMADE ICE POPS – Fruitty, fresh and COLD. This will cool your hot head and your mouth will thank you.

5) SCRATCH CATERING: Their garlic chicken tenders stole hearts last year. What else do they have in store from Chef Hayden?

6) GYRO PALACE: Huge, gaping gyros loaded with tons of meat, veggies and garlic

Spicy Garlic Chicken over White Rice

tzatziki sauce. Get some !

7) THE HOLY CANNOLI BOOTH – The Italian club is deep frying cannoli and sprinkling chocolate on top. A religious experience in taste!

8) ZOMBIE DOGZ – The king of Dayton’s Food trucks promises 2 never before done flavored hot dogs ! STAY TUNED !

9) RITTERS FROZEN CUSTARD: Cool sundaes loaded with toppings and sauces. If you dont get whip cream on your nose, it doesn’t count.

2 New Flavors coming to Garlic Fest

10) Q FOOD FOR EVERYONE: Bacon wrapped chicken legs, Garlic shrimp and salmon are the possible choices here with BBQ.

11) MOHAWK FREESTYLE GRILL: Garlic Mohawk Burgers and more! More than a mouthful and so juicy. Chef Aaron wont dissapoint you!

12) BOURBON STREET GRILL and CAFE: Spicy chicken or Bourbon Chicken all made with garlic and poured over your choice of rice.

James Nunez and his BBQ crew

13) MAMMA DISALVOS – Who better to do garlic fest than these guys? We expect garlic pasta and more from this Italian crew.

14) DEEP FRIED HEAVEN – From veggies to garlic pizza fries, these guys are gonna deep fry some delicious specialty items.

15) KOWALSKI HOTS: In upstate New York they say “hots” instead of hot dogs. This guy grills red and white hots, not spicy just hot dogs and brands you can only find in upstate New York. As for garlic sauce or coney sauce.

Fresh Popsicles

GARLIC FEST CRAFT VENDORS:

1) THE SPICY OLIVE: Garlic infused olive oil and more flavors ! Fresh Olive oil guaranteed.
2) WEEZY’S GARLIC: Garlic for sale.. health benefits galore
3) COSTCO: Your favorite spot for warehouse deals. If you dont know about them, now’s the chance …
4) SCENTSY: Wickless candles, electric warmers and flavored waxes. Wonderful fragrances.
5) SERVANTHOOD STICHERY: Unique crafts and puzzle lamps. Defintely worth a visit.

We expect some yummy garlic dishes from Giovannis

6) NERIUM INTERNATIONAL: Age defying skin creams and moisturizers. Look young while eating that garlic item.
7) LOVE HARVEST BODY ART: Face painting. Kids love this stuff and what adult wouldnt look good with some garlic on their cheek.
8) PAINTED HORSE STUDIO: Clay art and hot sauces. A local art teacher and her husband have some unique items for sale.

Garlic Chicken

20 Reasons to Hit Friday’s Sons of Italy Food Truck Rally

July 13, 2016 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Zombie Dogz will debut 2 new dog flavors!

This FRIDAY July 15th, at 5pm, 18 local food trucks will descend on the Bella Villa Hall on County Line Rd, around the corner from the Greene. If you have been to the Italian Fall Festival, then you are familiar with this venue. But Friday showcases different activities and outside vendors. It promises to be a fun filled, family friendly event and a wonderful evening.

Dont miss this chance for an incredible FOOD ADVENTURE !

Spicy Chicken with White rice from Bourbon Street Grill – a MUST EAT

HERE ARE 20 REASON’S to COME TO THE FOOD TRUCK RALLY at SONS of ITALY’S BELLA VILLA HALL in Beavercreek/Kettering

1 ~ ZOMBIE DOGZ WILL INTRODUCE TWO NEW DOG FLAVORS:
Garlic inspired for sure, the flavors are super secret and are being finalized as you read this. No one is telling, not even the zombies!

2 ~ THE HOLY CANNOLI:
A deep fried cannoli made at the Sons of Italy booth. It is a gooey, creamy walk down dream street. So rich and wonderful, it is like a religious experience.

The Garlic Mohawk Burger

3 ~ BELLA SORELLA’S “BIG FELLA” PEPPERONI PIZZA:
Have you tried their hand made dough, stone baked pizza? Fresh ingredients and that good Italian flavor, makes this a MUST EAT at Garlic Fest Weekend !

4 ~ THE “SPICY CHICKEN WITH WHITE RICE” from BOURBON STREET GRILL: Be prepared to launch your tastebuds to the moon on this one. A perfect, not too spicy blend of shredded chicken and sauce, poured over white rice. So addicting you will want seconds. Warning! – you will crave this stuff the next week, and we are not responsible.

Fresh Pizza from Bella Sorella Pizza Co.

5 ~ BEER TRUCKS and INCREDIBLE FOOD VARIETY IN ONE PLACE:
Beer trucks? YES ! 18 food vendors with various menus? This will give you over 100 food choices. Hello foodies, you have found your paradise… GarlicFest weekend be thy name !

Jimmie’s Ladder 11 Streatery is bringing Garlic Roast Beef with Horseradish Aoli and more

6 ~ “THE ONION STRAW BURGER” from THE HORSELESS BUGGY EATERY:
One of the best burgers in Dayton, hands down. A pile of crunchy onion straws, on a thick, juicy fresh burger. Awww man give us one now to sink our teeth into.

Peanut Butter Cupcake from Go Cupcake

7 ~ “THE WICKED SWEET BREAD” from THE WICKED WICH’ of DAYTON FOOD TRUCK:
Sweet, cinnamon sprinkled bread, with a sweet drizzled icing. It makes for a buttery, cinnamon taste and a match made in heaven. So simple, so good ….

8 ~ “THE KIWI/ BLUEBERRY / COCONUT” ICE POP from SWEET P’S:
On a warm July evening, nothing says refresh me like a hand crafted ice pop from local vendor, Sweet P ! This combo is in the “cool me down” hall of fame !

Ritter’s sundae’s will cool you down at a Summer rally

9 ~ “GARLIC INFUSED CRAB MACARONI n CHEESE” from PA’s PORK:
New Item! King Crab, macaroni, cheese and Italian Parsely on top. Take a bite then slap yourself to get that silly look off your face. Oh, it’s that damn good…

10 ~ QUESADILLAS at THE PAINTED PEPPER FOOD TRUCK:
Juicy, flavorful and loaded, these quesadillas are fantastic food on the go. The Texas Caviar chicken quesadilla is a fave… but so are the wings and corncakes…so many MUST EATS, so little time. It is hard to nail down just one item from this great truck.

11 ~ BOCCE BASH TOURNAMENT:

Bocce Bash for beginners – sign up NOW !

5:30pm starts the 1st ever “BOCCE BASH” for beginners. The cost is $10 per person and you need 4 to a team. Sign up immediately by clicking here. Winner gets $200 !

12 ~ “THE MAC n CHEESE CROQUETTES” from HUNGER PAYNES:
Mac & Cheese Croquettes with Garlic, Smoked Gouda, Cheddar, Green Onions, and Garlic Sour Cream Sauce. Flavored croquettes, are the scrumptuous staple that launched their food truck. You gotta try these. We are excited for more great eats from Andy and his crew.

White Hots and Red Hots from Kowalski Hots

13 ~ “THE PEANUT BUTTER CUP CUPCAKE” from GO CUPCAKE:
Rich and chocolatey. What else goes better together? Indulge in one of the best sweet treats at the rally. One of those bites that you have to sit down and just take in all the flavor.

14 ~ “GRILLED RED HOTS or WHITES HOTS with GARLIC SAUCE” from KOWALSKI’S HOTS:

COLD BEER HERE !

Remember hot isn’t spicy – it is short for Hot Dog in this case. And these casings are authentic hot dog brands only found in upstate New York. Zweigels and Hoffmans are just two of the brands he offers.

15 ~ “THE DISTINGUISHED DARBY” from CHEEKY MEAT PIES:
Steamy ground beef goodness, with cheese stuffed into a delicate pie crust. So delicious and unique, this is one of our favorite food truck items.

16 ~ EMPANADAS from EL MESON:
They have so much good food to offer it is hard to pick just one. The empanadas are a great pocket of flavor on the go at a rally. Their cornbread pattie style Arepas are also tremendous.

17 ~ “THE ROAST BEEF PO’BOY” from JIMMIE’S LADDER 11 STREATERY:

Pa’s Pork will be pulling some bones

Oh boy, this might be the mother of all sandwiches at the rally. Roast Beef on a bun served with lettuce, tomato and a horseradish aoli, this promises to be a huge hit while they last!

18 ~ “THE STREET STYLE CHICKEN GYRO” from GREEK STREET FOOD TRUCK:
A one of a kind gyro with pickled onions and a one of a kind tzatziki sauce. We cannot reiterate enough that you must get the chicken gyro and get it “street style.” The “shrimp gyros street style” are a lighter take on a great thing. Opa!

Chicken on a spindle at Greek Street Food Truck

19 ~ “THE TURTLE SUNDAE” from RITTERS FROZEN CUSTARD:
Hot fudge, caramel and toasted pecans with vanilla custard adorn this sundae. Just sinful, and yummy. Turn out the lights and call the law, we dont care if we ever get well!

20 ~ “THE GARLIC MOHAWK BURGER” from MOHAWK FREESTYLE GRILL:
It is a massive creation from our pal chef Aaron who does it all to the max. Get a napkin, because it is a delicious, “goodness drippin on the chin” kinda time. It is a rowdy Food Adventure on a bun.

There you have it, take a bow if you can eat all of the above items in a night. We have a feeling you might need some help, so bring your friends out and share some bites. That’s

Hunger Payne’s Mac n Cheese Croquettes

what a fun food truck rally is all about!

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON HOW TO GO:

— WHEN: JULY 15th from 5pm til 9pm

— WHERE: 2625 COUNTY LINE RD, BEAVERCREEK, OHIO at the BELLA VILLA HALL

Onion Straw Burger from Horseless Buggy

— WHAT: One of Dayton’s biggest FOOD TRUCK RALLIES EVER! 18 vendors!

— WHAT ELSE: FREE ADMISSION! BEER TRUCKS! LIVE ACOUSTIC BAND ! CRAFTS! KIDS STUFF!

Bring a lawnchair to sit and relax all night ! There is plenty of eats to go around! Join Hungry Jax, Chef House and the Big Ragu for a night of Food Adventure fantasies.

Get restaurant info, original food pictures and Miami Valley Must Eats, by “liking” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking here.

Sweet P’s Handmade Ice Pops

El Mesons Empanadas

Garlic Roast Beef Sub from Jimmies Ladder 11 Streatery

A Cheeky Meat Pie

Holy Cannoli – deep fried !

Texas Caviar Chicken Quesadilla from Painted Pepper Food Truck

Wicked Bread from Wicked Wich’ of Dayton Food Truck

THIS FRIDAY 5pm – 9pm

A Chicken Gyro – Street Style – from Greek Street Food Truck

The Man Who Dip-eth “The Holy Cannoli”

July 5, 2016 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Mark DaGrossa – The Master of the Holy Cannoli

You may have called him Santa. You may have heard him on the Gem City Podcast. You may have seen him on Youtube with “Epic and The Beard.” Mark DaGrossa is one of those Daytonians who you see everywhere. Whether at the Italian Club playing bocce, working a festival, or on a Food Adventure at one of his favorite restaurants in Dayton, Mark is always on the move. Besides working for Folio DesignHaus, Mark is a dedicated husband, son and father, a family man if you will.

We don’t know where YOU may have seen him, but WE will always remember him as “The Man Who Cooks the Holy Cannoli.”

The Holy Cannoli is a lot like bigfoot. It is mysterious and not many people have seen it….

Monty Python had the Holy Grail and the holy hand grenade, but Garlic Fest has the Holy Cannoli !

A six pack of Holy Cannoli

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON “THE HOLY CANNOLI”:

— What is a Holy Cannoli? It is a cannoli shell filled with ricotta cheese and cream, sometimes garnished with chocolate chips, that is dipped in breading and deep fried on the spot. The result after a few minutes is a gooey, gorgeous, piece of heaven.

— Long time Sons of Italy member, Kevin Sorice actually came up with the idea of a deep fried cannoli. So let’s give credit where credit is due.

Mark’s daughter, Caitlin Preparing Cannoli

— Where can I get a Holy Cannoli? The answer is at GARLIC FEST, SUNDAY JULY 17th from noon-9pm. Mark your calendar for this one.

The HOLY CANNOLI is a “MUST EAT” on Garlic Fest Weekend come enjoy the 3 day event and make your own Food Adventure !

—FRIDAY JULY 15th 5pm-9pm– FOOD TRUCK RALLY, BOCCE BASH, LIVE MUSIC and BEER TRUCKS –

— SATURDAY JULY 16th – BOCCE CLASSIC TOURNAMENT, STEAK DINNER at BELLA VILLA HALL –

Chef House and “Holy Cannoli Dipper” Mark DaGrossa

— SUNDAY JULY 17TH – GARLIC FEST – FOOD VENDORS, COOKING DEMOS, BEER TRUCKS, FREE DANGER BROTHERS CONCERT, BOCCE CLASSIC FINALS, GARLIC EATING CONTEST, GARLIC QUEEN, and more!

Admission is FREE so join The Big Ragu, Chef House and Hungry Jax at the Food Truck Rally and Garlic Fest on July 15-17th.

Meet the man, the myth, the legend.. Mark DaGrossa.. “The Man who dip-eth the Holy Cannoli.” Make sure you order some of this sinful goodness. They are rich, delicious and they melt in your mouth! It is a religious experience and a great invention! Thanks to Mark and the workers in the booth, without you, they are just plain cannoli….

“Like” our Food Adventures blog on Facebook by clicking here – we have a lot of original content to

Thumbs up for a great Holy Cannoli at Garlic Fest

offer !

Hungry Jax and her family with Santa DaGrossa

Big Ragu with Kevin Sorice – the brains behind the Holy Cannoli

Before the battering

Holy Cannoli Booth

Take this, batter this, fry this and eat this…

Ladies and Gentleman, we present the Holy Cannoli

Last Year’s signage

Gem City Podcast Crew

The Dayton Women of Bocce Ball

June 17, 2016 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

If strength is in numbers, then bocce ball is alive and well in Dayton, Ohio. You may remember we did a story on the Sons of Italy, Bella Villa Hall’s men’s bocce league.

Well move over fellas, it is the ladies’ turn! Thursday’s in the summer, the bocce courts are ruled by the women.

Now, let’s get rollin’….

Family Fun: Eldora & her grandson enjoy a bocce match

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON THE WOMEN OF DAYTON BOCCE BALL:

— You have to be a member of the Italian club, John Pirelli Lodge (click here to join) to be in the leagues. That means you or your spouse must have some type of Italian lineage in your genealogy. Sometimes the courses are open to the public like the July 15th Bocce Bash and Bocce Classic Weekend

— The Women’s bocce League plays Thursday nights, during the summer.

Helen Longo (middle) and her longtime bocce teammates

— The league started in 1979, with 2 dirt courts. Now they are turf and much easier to maintain.

— TRIVIA: The turf on the bocce courts was donated from University of Dayton’s, Welcome Stadium

— Currently, they have about 12 womens bocce teams with 4 players on each team. There are about 50 – 60 lady players in the Dayton area.

— Players range from 17 years old to 80 years young

Mary D’Amico pointing out the closest ball

— A year end banquet, each year is planned to pass out awards. Food Adventures is sure some incredible Italian food is served.

Melody Sorice Knostman (right) with a bocce buddy

As we watched the matches and talked with the ladies, there were lots of cheers and jeers going on at different courses. One thing was for sure, these people were having fun. Some wore fun hats, while others had family members cheering them on. Sometimes there are snacks and at special events there are food and beer booths. We met some great Daytonians and we want to share them with you. So here are some of the Dayton Women of Bocce Ball !

THE WOMEN OF DAYTON BOCCE BALL:

— ELDORA PERFILIO: She says she is out here to compete, but doesn’t take it as serious as some. Eldora says she comes for the fun times and friendly people in the league.

Maria Napier (left) measures the distance to confirm a winning point

— MELODY SORICE-KNOSTMAN: Melody has been playing bocce ball in the back yard, since she was a kid. Her favorite part of the bocce legue is getting to spend time with the ladies. There were definitely a lot of laughs on Melody’s court as they were having a great time.

— MARY D’AMICO: She is a tiny little spitfire and has been playing bocce ball for decades. After hearing some of the women talk, she chimed in “They like to win you know, don’t let them fool you!” Mary was quick to point out some rules on her court, and seemed to be incredibly

Thursday night fun at Bella Villa Hall

knowledgable about the bocce sport.

— HELEN LONGO: For 36 years Helen has been playing ball in the bocce leagues. She was one of the first founding members. She shared the long history of women’s bocce at the club with us. It has been going on so long innher opinion because it is “just a lot of fun.”

— MARIA NAPIER: Maria agrees that it is all about having fun. She has been playing for 2 years, and says it is a great time. She also enjoyed a cold adult beverage on the hot summer evening.

Julia Hall shows perfect bocce form

— JULIA HALL: For the past 10 years Julia has been a part of the leagues and again points to the good times. She enjoys meeting new friends of all ages. “There are a lot of nice people here.”

The photo definition of “chillin” in the dictionary

That seems to be the theme. Fun times, good friends and anyone can play bocce ball. Any age, man or woman can adapt fairly easily. Whether you are a beginner or playing for years, you can still compete with anyone and have fun.

Bocce is a simple game to learn, it is a cross between shufflebord and bowling. The rules are simple. you first roll a little yellow ball called a “pallino” to the far end of the court. You then try to get your bocce balls closest to the small yellow ball as possible, while your opponents do the same. Whoever is closest to the “pallino” earns points and thats how you win the game. Typically you play until someone has 21 points. It is easy to get the hang of it and you will be addicted in no time.

Juggling the bocce balls

If you would like to play bocce ball, there are 2 fun events coming up that are open to the public.

THE BOCCE BASH is for Beginners. It will be played Friday, July 15th during the Sons of Italy Food Truck Rally. Teams of 4 can sign up to comepeter for a $200 grand prize. The Signup sheet is HERE. You do not have to be a member of the club to play in this event.
THE BOCCE CLASSIC: Want to play in one of Dayton’s biggest bocce tournaments? CLICK HERE

For the 2 events above, there will be food vendors and beer trucks, and even some live music! Just want to observe? Admission is free to come and watch. Eats and drinks are available for purchase by anyone. Take the weekend of July 15th-17th to play some bocce, have a few beverages, and taste some of Dayton’s best food.

You may even see the Food Adventures Crew at the Food Truck Rally and Garlic Fest the same weekend.

For more Dayton food info, follow Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE.

The pallino is the yellow ball, the others are bocce balls

Competitive Game

There are a lot of bocce players out here

Maria rolls away

Enjoying drinks by the courts

Thursday night at the Bocce Courts

concentrating

Bocce Womens League 2016

Full courts

All ages

A Strategic throw

Bocce time

Here ya go

SCORE!

Watching the roll

Dayton’s Bocce Classic: Respect the Balls

May 19, 2016 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

John Pirelli Lodge President, Jim Balsamo at the Sons of Italy Bocce Courts

One of America’s biggest Bocce Ball tournaments is coming to Dayton, and it is all about respect, capeesh? Respect the balls, the court, the tradition and a game where anyone can play and be competitive. The Food Adventures Crew will be a big part of this weekend which also includes a Friday food truck rally and Sunday’s Garlic Fest.

The John Pirelli Lodge/Sons of Italy will be hosting the 2016 Bocce Classic from July 15th – July 17th this year, and they are looking for players! This annual event draws young and old from many states. Even players from Canada drive down to attend, and you can participate too !

Which one is closer?

Teams of 4 will descend upon the bocce courts behind the Bella Villa Hall and will be rolling balls from morning ’til night. Some of you may know this site as the same spot of Dayton’s Italian Festival aka the “Fall Festa.” 2015 Bocce Classic Champions, The Doepker Family and Scott Davis look to defend their title, in what promises to be a fun-filled tournament weekend.

Not sure how to play bocce ball? It is easy to start. It is a mixture of bowling and shuffleboard. The object of the game is to roll your four bocce balls as close to the little “pallino” ball as possible, while preventing your opponents from doing the same. It is that simple. Many players develop their own strategies and rolling styles. Want to learn the rules of Bocce ? Then click here for the Dayton’s Bocce Classic Rules Page.

Brian Andzik is a Bocce Regular

Want to know more about The Bocce Classic, one of the feature Bocce Ball Tournaments in the United States?

HERE IS THE SKINNY:

WHAT: THE BOCCE CLASSIC, a BOCCE BALL TOURNAMENT

WHERE: 2625 County Line Rd, Dayton, Ohio

WHEN: 3 day tournament starts evening of July 15th, and ends in the Championship Game, Sunday Evening July 17th

HOW: CLICK THIS LINK to SIGNUP YOUR TEAM

COST: $270 per team, includes a steak dinner Saturday night, beer cups, and discounted drink prices during Sons of Italy’s Food Truck Rally July 15th and Garlic Fest, July 17th. Sounds like a Food Adventure, so The Big Ragu, Chef House and Hungry Jax will be there.

Bocce Ball

WHY: A significant portion of the proceeds go to local scholarships and local charities

They are expecting about 60-70 teams of four to participate in this year’s event. There is even a BEGINNER BOCCE BASH Friday night hosted by UpDayton, 5pm-9pm.

HISTORY OF BOCCE BALL IN DAYTON:

Thirty years ago the Bella Villa Hall had 2 bocce courts. The floors of the courts were sand and limestone dust. They would have to bring out a rug and a rope, and drag it up and down to smooth the court between matches. Now the courts are made from artificial turf.

Then in 1995, the John Pirelli Lodge in Dayton Ohio, decided to host a tournament to promote the game and their Italian heritage. There were five clay courts and 40 teams. Orignal Bocce Classic Founders Ed Guerriero, Pat Mosconi and Mike Longo grew the tournament and it is now the unofficial “Ohio State Championship of Bocce”

Now, The Bocce Classic is a 3 day event played with over 60 teams and attended by thousands of spectators. There are now six partially covered bocce courts that even have night lighting. The Italian lodge looks to keep the feel of the original tournament while introducing bocce ball to more people in the Miami Valley. Pasta, steak dinners, and authentic Italian food help make a great bocce tournament.

2016 may be the “Year of the Bocce Ball” in Dayton, with all of this added interest. But for some, it has been a tradition for decades. Let’s meet some of Dayton’s bocce legends and purists.

DAYTON’S BOCCE’S “MUST MEETS”

— EDDIE “BOOM BOOM” GUERRIERO: This mild-mannered fixture at the Sons of Italy love the bocce and food as well. One of the founding members of the tournament, he is still active in bocce and lodge committees. We don’t know why he is called “boom boom.” We will leave that up to your imagination.

Rinaldo Stolfo with Kevin Sorice, Bocce Classic Chairman

— RINALDO STOLFO: This active 86 year old has played in the bocce league for 10 years and is an avid ping pong player with his partner who, get this… is 94 years old. He likes bocce because you meet a lot of new friends. Many of you Rinaldo as the former owner of his famous Dayton bakery which he retired last year.

— JIM BALSAMO: Current President of the lodge and bocce enthusiast who tells us his father got him into the game. Jim loves bocce ball because anyone can play, “16 years old to 86, male, female, it doesn’t matter.” Jim also says just because you have experience, sometimes is doesn’t matter. Games can take twists and turns. Jim says “One minute you think you’ve got it figured out and the bocce gods look down on you and that’s all she wrote.” Jim also notes that sometimes you gotta teach the players to add the scores correctly, even the veterans forget.

Bocce Classic Coming July 15- July 17th

— BRIAN ANDZIK: Bocce League veteran who has not missed one game in 17 years. He even played a season on crutches. Now that’s dedication, folks. Brian has also been a leader on the lodge council. He got to play on one of the original teams with the legendary DiPasquale brothers.

— TONY CICERO: From Racine, Wisconsin has played bocce his whole life. Tony has won bocce classic twice. He says playing helps, as he grew up with a bocce court in back yard. It is a game of strategy. A feel comes naturally, he says.. Tony’s wife plays in the women’s league and was the MVP of her team.

— NICK D’AMICO: Nick has been helping out with the Special Olympics Bocce Ball for 20 years. Last year they had 78 athletes

Championship Roll – John Doepker 2015 Bocce Classic Champ

with special needs play bocce ball in the Olympics. Nick has been playing bocce ball all of his life. He remembers playing in alleys as a kid on Stone Mill Road.

— THURSDAY is WOMENS LEAGUE at the John Pirelli Lodge – and we will have a full report on them, soon !

So now you know a little more about Dayton area bocce and its tradition. Come out and watch the Bocce Classic , or enter the tournament. They would love to have you.

Want to join the Italian Club? You must have Italian lineage in your family, and the cost is $40 per year. Club members are eligible to play in a bocce league that costs $40 a year.