Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I park?

On the street around the park. Most people use Oxley Road between Northwest Boulevard and First Avenue, First Avenue, and the west side of Northwest Boulevard.

If those fill, try Parkway Drive, Oxley Road south of First Avenue, First Avenue further west or east — including across Northwest Boulevard — or Northwest Boulevard further south on the west side.

Some nearby residential streets are permit-only and clearly posted, so read the signs before you leave your car. The Stevenson lot is no longer available — it was removed this summer and is now a fenced construction site.

Can I ride a bike?

Yes.

Is it really ox?

Kind of. An ox is a large bovine trained and used as a draft animal. Cattle are often used, and beef is what we roast. But the name does not come from the meat at all — it comes from Oxley Field, where the early Ox Roasts were held, including the 1956 Roast, the first one the Bobcat Boosters hosted.

Oxley Field was renamed Pierce Field in 1966 in honor of A. K. Pierce, Grandview Heights’ eighth mayor. (Fun fact: His son, Lawrence, also served as mayor from 1974 to 1986.)

When are Ox Sandwiches available?

Saturday only. The cooking fire is started at midnight Friday going into Saturday. We aim to have bulk sales open by 11:00 AM, assuming the beef is ready, and our target for the Bobcat Boosters’ famous Ox Sandwiches is noon.

Can I buy roast beef by the pound?

Yes — $15 per pound, and au jus by the pint for $5. Bulk sales open Saturday around 11:00 AM at the Kitchen, assuming the beef is ready, before the grounds open. They move to Pies, Cakes & Drinks when it opens at noon.

Bulk beef and Ox Sandwiches are sold while supplies last.

What is on the menu?

Combos (a main, two sides and a drink) run $10–$15. A kids combo (a main, one side and a drink) is $8 for a hot dog or $9 for chicken strips. Everything is also available à la carte — sandwiches $4–$10, sides $2–$3, water or pop $3.

Mains: bratwurst, chicken, chicken strips, hamburger, cheeseburger, Beyond Burger and hot dog — plus the Fish Sandwich on Friday only and the Ox Sandwich on Saturday only.

Sides: applesauce, cole slaw, corn, french fries, green beans, potato salad, German potato salad and sauerkraut — plus au jus and cheese as options for the Ox Sandwich.

All food items are available while supplies last.

Is there anything for a vegetarian?

Yes — the Beyond Burger, $15 as a combo or $9 à la carte, plus the full range of sides.

Do you take credit cards?

Yes. Credit cards are accepted.

Bingo is cash only. There is an ATM near the Kitchen.

The 50/50 raffle is the other way round — card only. Credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Where do I get a drink?

Two places. The Kitchen sells water and pop alongside the food, which is easiest if you are ordering a meal anyway. Pies, Cakes & Drinks sells them too — better for a quick water on a hot afternoon, or for skipping the Kitchen line, which gets long.

Lemon Shake Ups are over at the Midway Games.

What soft drinks do you have?

Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Starry and Dr Pepper, plus Aquafina bottled water. $3 each, or included in a combo.

Which days is alcohol served?

Friday and Saturday only. Thursday is a dry day, and there is no service at the Wednesday lighting and pep rally.

Friday 5:00 – 11:00 PM · Saturday 2:00 – 11:00 PM.

What beer, wine and cocktails do you have?

Beer: Garage Beer, Dos Equis, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, Bell’s Two Hearted IPA, and Columbus IPA from Columbus Brewing Company.

Canned cocktails: Truly Vodka Seltzer in assorted flavors, and High Noon Vodka Iced Tea.

Wine: Bota Box Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Selection is subject to change as stock runs down over the weekend.

Do I need identification?

Yes. Valid photo ID is required for anyone purchasing beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages.

Can I carry a drink around the grounds?

Yes, within the designated refreshment area. The exits are monitored.

Can I bring my own alcohol?

No. Outside alcohol is not permitted.

When is Bingo?

Friday and Saturday nights, 6:30 – 10:30 PM. Bingo does not run Thursday.

Is Bingo cash only?

Yes. Bingo is cash only. There is an ATM near the Kitchen.

What hours do the rides run?

Whenever the Roast is open, the rides are running, weather permitting.

Thursday 5:00–10:00 PM · Friday 5:00–11:00 PM · Saturday 12:00–11:00 PM.

The Boosters reserve the right to close some or all rides before the end of the evening if demand drops off.

Which rides are there?

Seven: Pirate Ship, Super Sonic, Boomerang, Slide, Swing, Airplane, and a Mini Merry-Go-Round.

What do the rides cost?

Ride tickets are sold on site at the midway. $1.50 per ticket, 20 tickets for $25, or 40 tickets for $50.

Credit cards are accepted at the ticket booth.

What hours are the Midway Games open?

Whenever the Roast is open. SnoCones, popcorn, cotton candy and Lemon Shake Ups are part of the Midway Games too, and the Tri-Village Lions Club ice cream keeps the same hours.

What games are there?

Eleven of them: Granny Pants, the Fishing Derby, Roller Bowler, Goldfish Pong, Crazy Can, Duck Pond, Penalty Kick, Soda Ring Toss, Horse Race, Toilet Paper Toss and Alley Oops.

What happens at the ceremonial lighting?

It is a pep rally and a bonfire. At about 9:15 the GHHS Marching Band and the cheerleaders march down Hilo Lane to the pit and everyone follows. The rally begins at 9:30 with emcee Jon Ionno, performances by the band, the cheerleaders and the Bobcat mascot, and Head Football Coach Shawn Hinkle with the team ahead of Thursday night’s game against Bexley. Senior athletes from every fall sport, along with seniors from the band and cheer squad, then carry the torches that light the pit.

Come at 9:00 if you can. The published start is 9:30, but the band steps off down Hilo at about 9:15 and that is one of the best moments of the night.

Is the Wednesday bonfire the same fire that cooks the beef?

No. Wednesday night is a ceremonial bonfire, part of the pep rally, signifying that the pit is open for business again this year. The cooking fire is started at midnight Friday going into Saturday, which is why the beef is not ready until late Saturday morning.

How long does it last? It is a school night.

It begins at 9:30 PM and runs about an hour, finishing by 10:30 PM.

Is there food or drink Wednesday?

No. Wednesday evening is the lighting and pep rally only — no food service, no beverages, no rides and no games. The Ox Roast itself opens Thursday at 5:00 PM.

Where are the restrooms?

Portable restrooms only, along with hand-washing stations. Wheelchair-accessible units are located on Hilo Lane. Please note: the permanent restrooms at Pierce Field are not in service.

Is there seating?

Yes. Tables and chairs are set up on the grounds.

Are the pickleball courts open?

No. The City removes the pickleball nets during the Ox Roast.

How does the 50/50 raffle work?

Tickets are sold Friday and Saturday evening, and sales close at 9:30 PM each night. The drawing follows afterward — listen for guidance from the stage. You do not need to be present to win.

Look for volunteers circulating with QR code paddles — scan one to buy. The 50/50 is card only: credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No cash to carry, and no paper ticket to lose.

How accessible is the site?

Pierce Field is grass and infield clay, which can be uneven for wheelchairs and strollers. Wheelchair-accessible portable restrooms are provided on Hilo Lane.

What happens if it rains?

The Ox Roast will be held except in dangerous weather, where it will temporarily pause operations.

For the Wednesday evening rally, check the website for guidance.

Can I bring my dog?

No. Pierce Field is posted “No Dogs” by the City, along with McKinley Field and C. Ray Buck Sports Park. This is a City ordinance, not an Ox Roast rule — see section 505.06 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Grandview Heights.

Is smoking or vaping allowed?

No.

Will the Ohio State game be on?

Yes. Ohio State at Texas kicks off at 7:30 PM Saturday on ABC, and we will have the game on at the Roast.

My child is lost / I need first aid. Where do I go?

Go to the Kitchen — it is the central location for lost children, first aid and lost-and-found. Grandview Heights Police and Fire are on site throughout the event.

Can I buy an Ox Roast T-shirt?

Yes. Adult shirts are sold on site throughout the Roast. Hours at the shirt table vary, so ask any Booster if you do not see it open.

This year’s shirt marks 70 years of the Bobcat Boosters hosting the Ox Roast, 1956–2026.

When did the Ox Roast start?

1921 is the first record of an Ox Roast in Grandview Heights — 2021 marked its centenary. The Bobcat Boosters turned it into an annual event in 1956, which is why 2026 marks 70 years of Boosters hosting the Roast.

How is the ox cooked?

Volunteers season more than 240 roasts on Friday morning, seal them in oven bags and wrap them in muslin. The pit is lit Friday night and more than 150 pallets are fed in slowly, reaching up to 1,000 degrees by Saturday morning. The bed of coals is covered with sand, two local firefighters climb into the pit to place the wrapped meat, and metal panels go over the top to trap the heat. Four hours later the packages come up on a stick and go to the Kitchen for slicing.

Who runs the Ox Roast?

The Grandview Heights Bobcat Boosters, a public charity of unpaid volunteers, founded in 1943 and serving the youth of Grandview Heights and Marble Cliff ever since. The Boosters have hosted the Ox Roast since 1956. They are an independent 501(c)(3) and are not an agency of the City of Grandview Heights.

Where does the money go?

Every dollar raised supports Grandview Heights and Marble Cliff students — athletics, academics, music and community involvement. All Boosters are unpaid volunteers.

Booster fundraisers run through the year: the spring mulch sale, the Memorial Day golf cart raffle, the Ox Roast during Labor Day week, and 50/50 raffles at home Bobcats football games.