The City of Newport’s 28th Annual Italianfest kicks off at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Pompilio’s Italian restaurant with Newport Mayor Jerry Peluso’s annual City Bocce Ball Tournament. Teams from eight Northern Kentucky cities will try to knock-off defending champion Cold Spring. In addition to Cold Spring and Newport, cities competing will be Bellevue, Covington, Dayton, Edgewood, Alexandria and Silver Grove.

Joining Mayor Peluso on the Newport team will be longtime City Commissioner Frank Peluso, who has never played bocce ball. “I’ve handled a lot of meat balls over the years,” said Commissioner Peluso, who for years operated a catering business that specialized in homemade Italian food. “But I’ve never picked up a bocce ball.”