1. WICKLIFFE ITALIAN-AMERICAN CLUB For further information contact:
29717 Euclid Avenue Larry Koval, Media Relations Director
Wickliffe, OH 44092 216-481-1634
FOR RELEASE: June 14, 2016
THE PAT O’BRIEN CHEVROLET CLEVELAND CHALLENGE CUP OF BOCCE
Wickliffe, Ohio – The Wickliffe Italian-American Club announced that the 33rd Annual Pat O’Brien Chevrolet
Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday August 26th
, 27th
, and 28th
at the
Wickliffe Italian-American Club located at 29717 Euclid Avenue in Wickliffe, Ohio 44092. The event features 96
competing bocce teams from Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Florida, Mississippi, California, and
Canada. Last year’s winner was the local ABV team (formerly Mentor Fiat), consisting of players in their early 20’s
from the Little Italy and Mayfield areas, who also won in 2014! They will be returning to defend their title again along
with the Women’s Division Champs, Dianna’s Girls (formerly Three Balls Back)
from Rome, N.Y., who are also two-time champions.
The opening ceremonies will begin at 5:30 p..m. on Friday August 26th
, with the national anthem of the U.S.A,
Italy, and Canada being sung by 15 year-old Giovanni Castiglione of Solon. Tournament play begins directly afterward
and will run continuously through Sunday night on the nine covered bocce courts. The Wickliffe Italian-American Club
will present the top 16 teams with cash prizes totaling $16,000. To enter a team in this year’s tournament, call Chris
Brassell (440-478-7131) or Paul DiCicco (440-552-1865). Applications will also be available at the 5 Pat O’Brien
Chevrolet stores in Willoughby Hills,
2. Westlake, Vermillion, Norwalk, and Medina starting in July, as well as various Key Bank locations and can also
be downloaded from the club’s website (www.wickliffeianda.com).
Entertainment will run throughout the weekend in the covered pavilion, Saturday also features cultural activities
from noon to 3 p.m. hosted by Paul Sciria from La Gazzetta Italian Newspaper. Sunday is Family Day
and will once again feature a variety of entertainment and activities for children including Magician Rick Smith Jr;
an appearance by “Jungle Terry” , and DJ Dave spinning music A wide variety of food vendors will provide
homemade Italian food and specialty dishes as well as traditional American fare.
2016 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, August 26th
: 5:30 – Opening Ceremonies, National Anthems sung by Gio Castiglione
6:00 - Tournament play begins
7:00 – 11:00 p.m. – Live music by Cavalieri Reale
Saturday, August 27th
: 8:00 a.m. – Tournament play resumes
Noon to 3:00 p.m. - Italian Cultural Activities in the Pavillion
o Emcee Paul Sciria, Managing Editor of LaGazzetta Italian Newspaper
o Italian Choral Group
o Cooking Demonstration by Chef Dan of the Euclid Culinary School
o Appearance by Miss Italia
o Photo display from the Western Reserve Historical Society on the History
Of Italians in Cleveland (In the Club Room)
4:00 – 7:00 Live Entertainment by Bobby Leach (Sinatra music)
6:00 – 8:00 Live Broadcast with Tony Marotta of Radio Italia/Cleveland; WRUW 91.1 FM
8:00 – Midnight Live music by FESTIVUS (Cleveland’s # 1 Party Band!)
Sunday, August 28th
: 8:00 a.m. – Tournament play resumes
Noon – 1:00 Live Broadcast with Carmelina Antonelli’s “Touch of Italy” show;
WELW 1330 am
1:00 – 1:45 Magic Show with Rick Smith Jr.
2:00 - 3:00 Jungle Terry Exotic Animal Show
3:00 - 5:00 DJ Dave
4:00 Women’s Division Championship (approximate time)
6:00 Men’s Division Championship (approximate time)
The event is partially funded with a grant from the Lake County Visitors Bureau. As part of the grant reward
process, 9 judges review the applications submitted and give scores based on various criteria. The Cleveland Challenge
Cup of Bocce received an overall score of 98.85 (out of 100), tied for the top score out of the 19 organizations that
applied. Some of the comments of the judges were as follows:
Amazing Event!
International event, hundreds of overnight stays
It is a unique cultural experience
Well documented tourism impact
A model project for this grant
THE WICKLIFFE ITALIAN-AMERICAN CLUB is a community-based social/fraternal organization established in
1932 for people of Italian ancestry who live in the city of Wickliffe, Ohio ( a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio). The club
actively promotes and recognizes those of Italian descent who have furthered the Italian cultural bond that they they share,
and offers educational programs for the children and grandchildren of it’s members, as well as awarding college
scholarships each year to those who have demonstrated knowledge and pride in their Italian heritage. The Pat O’Brien
Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce Tournament is now in its 33nd
year and has grown from 16 teams to 96 teams, with
attendance hitting over 12.000 once again in 2015. It is still the largest men’s bocce tournament in the Midwest.
www.wickliffeianda.com
