The Best Bowlers in the World Are Back at Maine’s Bayside Bowl This July

The crowds will be back and rocking Bayside Bowl in July for the Professional Bowlers Association's annual trip to Maine.

Professional Bowler's Association

Founded in 1958, the Professional Bowlers Association (or PBA) is the world's premier bowling tour. The tour travels across the nation, and even the world, to showcase the finest bowlers there are.

The PBA hosts these events at local bowling alleys, and typically draws good crowds. While the tour has had its ups and downs, the PBA is in a bit of a renaissance period, with increasing purses and a new television deal.

PBA in Maine

One event that has helped the PBA climb into the new era is their annual soiree at Bayside Bowl in Portland. For one week a year, the PBA completely takes over the local alley and holds basically a one giant tailgate party.

Believe me, this is not your grandfather's bowling tournament. Fans dress up, enjoy a few adult beverages, and basically get as loud as humanly possible. It's the exact opposite of what you would expect at a bowling tournament.

However, it's been a huge hit. The players love it. The fans love it. The PBA loves it so much that more and more events continue to be added to the slate.

PBA in Maine Schedule of Events

The PBA and Bayside Bowl have announced a very busy schedule of events for this July's tour stop.

It features the very popular PBA League, which is a true team event. The teams battle for the Elias Cup starting on Wednesday, July 6, of that week. The championship match will be held on Sunday, July 10. There's even a squad that represents Portland, and they are very good. This will be the first time the League competes in Portland since before the pandemic.

There's also a practice session on Tuesday that is free to the public.

On Friday, July 8, the lanes will be booming with the Strike Derby. The goal of the event is to throw as many strikes in two minutes as possible. It starts with 12 players, goes down to six, and becomes a head-to-head competition. The entire derby will be held on that Friday.

Then on Saturday, July 9, the All Star Clash will take place. The last man standing event is usually one of the most watched and cheered for events on the entire schedule. The event will play out in its entirety that Saturday.

This schedule is absolutely packed with excitement. There's no question that it will be a tough ticket to get again this year.

And honestly, it's much more than just a bowling tournament. It's a fun, spirited, positive environment to just let yourself go crazy with national TV cameras filming it all. It's quite a sight to see. I would know. I have been nearly every year, and can't wait for this year's event.

Tickets are available now. There are many different options for the week or individual event dates.

If you can't make it to the events, Fox Sports will have it covered. The Elias Cup will be live, while the other events will be shown in tape delay.