The Oakmont Pétanque Club celebrates its 2022 Bastille Day Fête on Saturday, July 16. Bastille Day is the French national holiday commemorating the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 during the French Revolution.
The festivities will kick off at 9:30 a.m. at the Pétanque Courts with registration for the Bastille Day Tournament. The French tricolor will decorate the court, and players are encouraged to wear blue-white-red. The tournament will be played in mêlée format with randomly assigned teams as drawn and organized by Tournament Director Jean-michel Poulnot, overseen by the Club’s Fanny. Play begins at 10:00 a.m., and winners will be announced and photos taken at the conclusion. Spectators are welcome!
At approximately 11:45 a.m., Poulnot will lead in the traditional singing of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem. Following the singing, a group photo will be taken with the club banner. All club members are invited to the celebration and encouraged to be in the group photo.
A potluck picnic lunch will begin at approximately 12:00 noon. All club members, whether or not they played in the tournament, and their significant others are invited. Debbie Knapp will entertain with French café music on her accordion.
Bring your own beverage, chairs, and a lunch dish to share. Plates, cups, napkins, and utensils will be provided.
JOIN A CLUB NIGHT
Chair Richard Goodwin represented Oakmont Pétanque at OVA’s Join a Club Night in June. The Club display included Pétanque equipment, handouts, and a music-accompanied video presentation. The Club is pleased to welcome the new members who signed up to be on the roster.
PÉTANQUE IN OAKMONT WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY
The Club encourages all Oakmonters who may be interested in playing or learning to play pétanque (pay-tonk) to come to the courts between Berger and the OVA offices at 9:45 a.m. on the Club play days of Wednesday and Saturday. The Club has boules to lend while you’re learning, and you’ll be playing right away. Anyone, regardless of experience, is welcome to enjoy the challenge and camaraderie of a simple game that is inexpensive, fun to play, learned quickly, and endlessly fascinating in its deeper levels of execution and strategy. No dues are required – just sign up to be on the Club roster. Club play days are casual friendly games with teams randomly assigned. The courts also are reserved 10 a.m. – noon for open play pickup games on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The first summer Evening Pétanque dessert social will be on Thursday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. A second summer Evening Pétanque social will be scheduled in August. The final tournament of the season is the Oktoberfest tournament and picnic potluck lunch on Saturday, October 22.
