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Mayor’s Bocce Ball Tournament at Pompilio’s today kicks off Newport’s 28th Annual Italianfest


The City of Newport’s 28th Annual Italianfest kicks off at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Pompilio’s Italian restaurant with Newport Mayor Jerry Peluso’s annual City Bocce Ball Tournament.

Teams from eight Northern Kentucky cities will try to knock-off defending champion Cold Spring. In addition to Cold Spring and Newport, cities competing will be Bellevue, Covington, Dayton, Edgewood, Alexandria and Silver Grove.

Joining Mayor Peluso on the Newport team will be longtime City Commissioner Frank Peluso, who has never played bocce ball.

“I’ve handled a lot of meat balls over the years,” said Commissioner Peluso, who for years operated a catering business that specialized in homemade Italian food. “But I’ve never picked up a bocce ball.”

Pompilio’s is located at 600 Washington Street on Newport’s east side.

Newport Italianfest, has been named a Top 20 Event for June by the Southeast Tourism Society.

Click to enlarge

The Italianfest festival begins Thursday and runs through Sunday at Newport’s Festival Park, which sits along the Ohio River in front of Newport on the Levee and the Newport Aquarium and between the Purple People Bridge and the Taylor Souithgate Bridge.

“Italianfest is a wonderful family event,” said Newport City Commissioner Beth Fennell. “It’s my favorite festival of the year.”

The festival has authentic Italian food and live Italian music performed by entertainers from around the nation and from “the old country”, a Golf Outing, and a Family Photo Booth showcasing the history of Italian families that settled in Newport generations ago.

Other activities include a cooking contest, games and rides for the little ones. 

The event averages more than 100,000 visitors. For more information, click here, or call 859-292-3666.

City of Newport


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