Tournament time, Summer time or Christmastime – any time in Dublin means “party time.”

 

 

From backyard kid parties to adult shindigs with valet parking, Dubliners enjoy the comforts of a home-thrown bash and count on these annual gatherings for socializing and for fun.

 

Jim Miller’s Monday Night Football on the patio is a 20-year tradition. Jim sends out a weekly e-mail to confirm the get-together and six to 12 guys show up. They have different food themes, such as White Castle or Tony Packo’s chili dog night. Occasionally, Jim’s neighbor, Chris Shumaker, brings perch to grill that he caught in Lake Erie. Dublin resident Jim Jordan brings his smoker and cooks chicken or ribs.

 

The TV is out on the patio, rain or shine. Sometimes the men set up a tent with heaters, but usually they just light the fire pit. The only rule: the guys have to stay outside. “They came inside for the first ten years, but I got tired of them slamming doors and waking up our son, Joey, on a school night,” Jim’s wife, Diana, says.

 

College football parties are also a Dublin favorite. In 2007, when Molly and Milan Herceg first saw their house on seven acres overlooking the Scioto River, Molly said, “This would be a great place for an outdoor party.” Thus began the annual Herceg tailgate party, held during an away Ohio State Football game for 120 to 130 people. It’s a casual event, and guests are asked to wear their alma mater or sorority/fraternity T-shirt. “It’s a great conversation starter,” Molly says. 

 

Party guests can enjoy the huge movie screen when watching the Buckeyes, cornhole games, walking trails and a bonfire. The food is catered by “Sisters Grill on Wheels” from Pataskala, two women who drive their trailer right onto the property. They cook burgers, hot dogs and gyros in their truck, which gives the party a true tailgate feel.

 

Some outdoor celebrations are invented just for kids, such as the backyard food fight party idea Julie and Kevin Kennebeck concocted for their son Colin’s eighth birthday.  All guests come in bathing suits and expect to get messy. They divide the children into two teams, mark off a war zone with orange cones and determine safety and food re-loading zones. The first course is spaghetti, and each team gets four buckets full of long, stringy noodles. The next two courses are mashed potatoes and then peas. Chocolate and tapioca pudding are then hurled through the air in the war zone. Ketchup in squirt bottles is great for long distance hits, but Julie says to avoid using mustard because it burns. The grand finale is whipped cream in pastry bags, which is more challenging to aim if the kids are blindfolded. 

 

The sprinkler is running the entire time to make it slippery and add to the mess. The Kennebecks hose everyone off when it’s done, and the kids are always ecstatic and want to make it a weekly event. Julie and Kevin want to host another food fight, but no date has been determined. “The only down side was when we looked out the window at night and saw a family of skunks enjoying the leftovers,” Julie says.

 

For the last seven years, Darrell and Julie Fletcher’s Caddyshack party has been the place to be during Saturday night of The Memorial Tournament. Two hundred guests arrive in costumes relating to the 1980 golf movie of the same name starring Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield. “We love dressing up and throwing this party, but it’s become so big that we are taking a break this year to re-group,” Julie Fletcher says.

 

The hand-painted sign in front of their home says “Bushwood Country Club: Members Only.” Outfits in the past have included various characters from the film: one unknown person attends yearly in a full gopher costume, and another once came as a Baby Ruth candy bar, infamous for its appearance in the movie’s swimming pool scene. There is a costume contest with golf related prizes given for most authentic, creative and rookie of the year costumes. A hired DJ plays a mix of tunes, including the Caddyshack hits. Guests can also watch the movie on several TVs while munching on “mulligan meatballs” from Hills Market.

 

An even larger costume party is The Country Club at Muirfield Village’s annual Halloween Bash. It is open to the public, and out of the 630 adults who attended in 2009, less than half of them were members, according to General Manager Michael Graney. Several people tailgate in the parking lot before doors open and everyone is dressed up. Each room of the club is decorated in a different spooky theme, and there is a costume contest on the ballroom stage. The highlight of the evening is dancing to live music by Cincinnati band The Menus.

 

The City of Dublin celebrates Independence Day every year with a downtown parade and hours of entertainment at Dublin Coffman High School stadium, followed by an extraordinary fireworks display. Several nearby homeowners throw open house parties so friends can celebrate together and still walk to the festivities at the high school.

 

Pete and Fee Hoy have held their shindig for more than 20 years and entertain 150 people. “No invitations go out, people just know to stop by, bring a side dish and maybe an extra chair,” Fee says. As the night goes on, the party evolves into a reunion for her three grown children and their friends.  

 

The climax of the evening occurs during the grand finale of the fireworks. Fee, who just turned 60, gathers with her Dublin friends, Maribeth Wolfe (age 59) and Tami Smith (age 55). As the crowd gathers with anticipation, all three of them jump and wave their sparklers in the air and land on the ground – while doing the splits. “What can I say? It’s a tradition,” Fee says.

 

Craig Minnich and Judy Shephard have been hosting their Fourth of July gathering for more than 10 years. They plan out every detail, including a professional Web site that provides information on their parties, photographs and an RSVP section. Judy likes to prepare the food, but last year she hired a bartender and server so she and Craig could mingle without feeling stressed. They also hired a valet parking service for their guests.

 

The Tiki bar in the backyard sets the tone: a hand-painted sign details the drink menu, from CJ Lemonade to Bird Flew Martinis (Grey Goose vodka, Blue Curacao and a splash of soda). Centerpieces on the tables include not only flowers, but sparklers, a lighter and water bottles with customized Craig and Judy labels.

 

Inside, a folded and framed American flag sits next to a heartfelt note honoring eight of the heroes in their family who served in the armed forces. It reads: “God bless the USA and all of the men and women who keep us safe.”

 

Colleen D’Angelo is a contributing writer for Dublin Life.