What to Buy for a Bowling Tournament

A bowling tournament needs more than bowling shoes and a booking confirmation. Plan food and drinks for the full playing time, plus clear scorekeeping materials, team markers, prizes, and a simple registration setup. The quantities depend on your headcount, but buying and packing in groups makes the event easier to run. Check dietary requirements before shopping, chill drinks in advance, and keep spare pens, scorecards, and power leads ready for last-minute problems.

Organize this event for free with Lizzt

What to bring

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

Furniture

Foldable tablesqty 4
Chairsqty 36
Coat racksqty 2
Tableclothsqty 4

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 40
Platesqty 40
Cutlery setsqty 40
Serving plattersqty 8
Serving tongsqty 6

Kitchen

Thermos flasksqty 4
Coolersqty 4
Ice cube traysqty 3

Equipment

Laptop
Printer
Stopwatchqty 2
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 3

Sports equipment

Scoreboardsqty 6
Scorecardsqty 40
Clipboardsqty 6
Pensqty 20
Team stickersqty 40
Cue cardsqty 10

Decorations

Bowling banner
Balloonsqty 60
Balloon ribbonqty 2
Prize table sign
Trophiesqty 3
Medal ribbonsqty 30

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Broomqty 2
Dustpan and brushqty 2
Mopqty 2
Cleaning bucketsqty 2
Towelsqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Spa Blue - 48 bottles
- Spa Rood - 24 small bottles
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Ice tea - 4 bottles
- Tonic - 2 bottles
- Apple juice - 3 packs
- Orange juice - 3 cartons
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 4 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Sugar - 1 pack
- Mints - 1 box
- Mini sandwiches - 60 pieces
- Vegetarian wraps - 20 pieces
- Vegan wraps - 10 pieces
- Gluten-free rolls - 6 pieces
- Hummus - 3 tubs
- Cream cheese - 2 tubs
- Young cheese - 1 kilo
- Chicken breast topping - 750 grams
- Cucumber - 4 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 4 trays
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Tortilla chips - 3 bags
- Salsa - 3 jars
- Salted peanuts - 3 bags
- Trail mix - 2 bags
- Popcorn - 3 bags
- Cookies - 4 packs
- Brownies - 30 pieces
- Apples - 30 pieces
- Bananas - 30 pieces
- Grapes - 3 kilos
- Lemons - 6 pieces
- Ice cubes - 10 kilos
- Paper napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Cleaning wipes - 2 packs
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 2 dispensers
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls

Tips

Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then add one drink per person for each additional hour. Chill them before guests arrive and keep extra stock in coolers.
Buy snacks by portion rather than by packet: allow two to three snack portions per person for a tournament lasting two to three hours. Put dietary-specific snacks on separate serving platters.
Prepare one scorecard and one pen for each team, plus at least 10% extra. Keep scorecards on clipboards so they remain usable at the lanes.
Use team stickers and rule cards at registration, and prepare one spare set for every 10 teams. This prevents delays when a sticker is lost or a team changes.
Set aside a dedicated prize table and check trophies, medals, and the prize table sign at least one day before the tournament. Pack extension cords and power strips with the laptop and printer, not with the decorations.

Frequently asked questions

How many drinks do I need for a bowling tournament?: Allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one additional drink per person for every hour after that. Add about 10% extra for unexpected guests or delays.
How many snacks should I buy for a bowling tournament?: Plan two to three snack portions per person for a two- to three-hour tournament. Buy extra options for collected dietary requirements rather than assuming one snack suits everyone.
How many scorecards and pens do I need?: Prepare one scorecard and one pen per team, then add at least 10% spare supplies. For 20 teams, pack at least 22 scorecards and 22 pens.
When should I prepare the bowling tournament supplies?: Check prizes, scorekeeping materials, team markers, and printed information at least one day before the event. Chill drinks and portion snacks on the day, ideally two to three hours before registration.

Start this plan in Lizzt

Every task and item on this page, ready in your own event. Invite people, split the work, and see who has done what.