Hobart Events brought back the Brickie Bowl this past Saturday night in support of all things Brickie, bringing together all generations of Brickies, old and new. Hobart Events will be using the proceeds from the entrance fees, raffles, t-shirts and legacy bricks towards improvements to the Brickie Bowl.
Improvements include an addition of a scissor ramp sometime this year and a promenade area to hold events, which will be added in the next couple of years and more in the next five to ten years.
According to Nikki Lopez, Director of Hobart Special Events, the event’s goal was not only to raise funds for more improvements to the location, but to also bring the community together to bring the Brickie Bowl back to life.
Lopez said that the city will be using the newly renovated facility to hold citywide events in the future. “I hope to have battle of the bands here, a weekend long battle of the bands event. I want that to be our first like big thing that we do. I think that would be awesome.”
The event offered lots of different choices of food and drink including TJ’s Pizza, All Soup’d Up, Rubicon Artisan Coffees, a beer garden and more. Live music was provided by Buck Daddy, Positive Vibe Technician’s and Residence.
There were also lots of fun games and activities available including cornhole, knockerballs, face painting, a punt pass kick contest, a bouncy house and obstacle course, and more. The Hobart Football team players were even teaching kids how to throw and kick footballs.
The facility is already receiving lots of calls from people wanting to use the area for special events including class reunions, the Hobart Alumni Association’s picnic this fall, and even weddings.
Three years ago this August, Joe and Erin Such were the first ones to be married in the facility before it was opened up again after finding out it was empty.
Check out more fun pictures here!
“I wanted to get married somewhere that I’d never been to a wedding at.” said Erin Such. “I said, let’s get married at Brickie Bowl.
The event gave the community and organizations a chance to raise money for different teams at the school. The Hobart High School Booster Club was in attendance selling Brickies gear to help raise money for the football team’s trip to the Indiana University team camp in June this summer. Donations are being accepted on the team’s Go Fund Me account here. https://www.gofundme.com/c4vwq5y4
Maureen Melmick, a Booster Club member, likes to get involved in these types of events to support the players and spend time with her son, who is on the team. “Our football players, we have good boys. They’re a lot of fun. They’re very respectful to all the parents and you know, they just love it.”
Author Paul R. Condry was also in attendance giving out his 2015 Indiana Football Digest for free and selling copies of his Brickie Book signed by himself, Coach Tom Kerr and Muralist Peter Cortese who created the artwork for the book. All the proceeds from the book are given to the school.
In regards to the future renovations to the stadium, Condry is excited for what’s to come. “I think it’s exciting. Not only is it a historical landmark, it’s an emotional part of this community.”
Condry recalls lots of memories growing up in Hobart and starting his radio career in an old press box years ago that used to be in the area of the newly added bleachers. “I grew up here, I coached here and I started doing radio here 29 years ago and obviously, you know, I wrote the book. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Peter Cortese was also raffling off a Chicago Cubs painting. All proceeds from the raffle would be given to support the Hobart High School wrestling and baseball teams.
Coach Tom Kerr, one of the most beloved human beings of the town according to Paul Condry, is looking forward to what the new renovations will bring for the youth in the area and the town itself.
“I’m just excited that they’re going to use the facility for various events because of the history that it’s had. And it’s something we need to take advantage of and I think it will help the city.” Kerr said. “It’ll help the school corporation. And most of all I think it will help the youth of Hobart, because a lot of the younger kids don’t even know that this place exists and with the history behind it, it will encourage them to take advantage of it and use it.”
