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Bocce ball is one of the oldest games in the world, traced back thousands of years, even appearing in some ancient Egyptian tomb paintings. Over the years, the game made it's way through Greece before finding it's forever home in Italy.
Now it's found a home in West Michigan, inside one of Grand Rapids' most eclectic entertainment venues: SILVA.
SILVA features dedicated indoor bocce courts that were custom-designed and built specifically for the venue — complete with an automatic ball return system.
The game itself is simple. Players toss a small target ball called the pallino, then take turns rolling larger bocce balls, trying to land as close to the pallino as possible. Think of it like curling in terms of scoring — whoever's closest at the end counts their points, and play continues until one side scores out.
Leagues run on Tuesday and Thursday nights at multiple time slots throughout the evening. A full season typically runs five to six weeks, with one night per week commitment of about an hour and a half.
Not ready to commit to a league? You can rent a court any time through the venue's court reservation system to play with your friends. Plus, on Wednesday nights SILVA hosts free bocce play from 8 to 10 p.m.
Beyond bocce, SILVA is a full entertainment venue with a large event space and a full food and drink menu that regulars rave about. (The fries in particular come highly recommended.)
Summer leagues are currently forming. To reserve a court or get more information, head to silvagr.com.
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