What to buy for an anniversary bowling tournament

This shopping list covers the supplies that are easy to overlook when you are organising an anniversary bowling tournament. Plan separately for the lanes and for the area where people register, eat, compare scores and collect prizes. Use your confirmed participant count to set quantities for drinks, tableware, snacks and team materials. Buy prizes and medals early, then pack the scoring supplies, certificates and technology together so nothing is left at home on tournament day.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 6
Chairsqty 56
Tableclothsqty 6

Tableware

Reusable platesqty 60
Reusable drinking glassesqty 80
Coffee cupsqty 40
Knivesqty 60
Forksqty 60
Spoonsqty 40

Kitchen

Serving traysqty 8
Small bowlsqty 12
Serving spoonsqty 6
Coffee potsqty 3
Thermos flasksqty 4

Equipment

Coolersqty 4
Portable speaker
Laptop
Printer
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 3

Sports equipment

Clipboardsqty 12
Score sheetsqty 80
Pensqty 30
Team stickersqty 60
Bib numbersqty 60
Stopwatchqty 2
Trophiesqty 3
Medalsqty 12
Certificatesqty 60

Decorations

Balloonsqty 100
Balloon pumpqty 2
Buntingqty 8
Number garland
Name badgesqty 60
Scoreboard

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 6
Hand soap dispensersqty 3
Towel rollsqty 6
Cleaning bucketsqty 2
Broom and dustpanqty 2

Catering

Groceries
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 24 bottles
- Spa Rood - 12 bottles
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Pilsner - 48 bottles
- White wine - 6 bottles
- Red wine - 4 bottles
- Prosecco - 4 bottles
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Ice cubes - 8 bags
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Herb butter - 8 tubs
- Young cheese - 2 kilos
- Back ham - 2 kilos
- Hummus - 8 tubs
- Cream cheese - 8 tubs
- Cucumber - 8 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Apples - 40 pieces
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Tortilla chips - 8 bags
- Snack nuts - 6 bags
- Olives - 6 jars
- Pickles - 4 jars
- Salsa - 6 jars
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Gluten-free crackers - 4 packs
- Vegan spread - 4 packs
- Vegan baguette - 3 pieces
- Chocolate cake - 2 cakes
- Apple pie - 2 pies
- Vegan cake - 1 cake
- Whipped cream - 6 cans
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper straws - 100 pieces
- Tea towels - 8 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 4 packs

Tips

Count every registered participant before shopping, then add roughly 10% extra disposable or consumable supplies if your final numbers may change. This prevents a late shortage of glasses, plates, snacks or drinks.
Allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour, plus water for the rest of the tournament. Chill the drinks before leaving and bring coolers if the venue does not provide reliable cold storage.
Prepare one complete scoring set per lane or team area: score forms, pens, clipboards and team stickers. Pack spare pens and extra forms because scoring errors are difficult to fix once several games are complete.
Order trophies, medals and certificates at least two weeks before the tournament. Confirm the spelling of names and the number of award recipients before placing the order.
Pack the laptop, printer, speaker, extension cords and power strips in one labelled box at least one day ahead. Check with the bowling centre whether power, printing space and audio connections are available.

Frequently asked questions

How many drinks should I buy for a bowling tournament?: Plan for two to three drinks per person during the first hour, then add about one drink per person for each additional hour. Include water separately, especially if players will bowl for several hours.
How many plates, glasses and cups do I need?: For a simple self-service setup, provide one reusable plate and one drink glass per participant, plus at least 10% extra. Plan one coffee cup per expected coffee drinker at a time, with enough cutlery for the food being served.
When should I order bowling tournament prizes and medals?: Order trophies, medals and certificates at least two weeks before the event. Allow extra time if names must be printed or if the supplier needs to confirm customised items.
What should I pack for tournament scoring?: Bring score forms, clipboards, pens, team stickers, bib numbers and a stopwatch, with at least 10% spare forms and pens. Pack them in a labelled box and check the lane layout against the participant list before leaving.

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