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Here at Pickleheads, it doesn’t take much to convince us to throw a party. Any excuse to celebrate is fine by us. So, when the wonderful sport of pickleball got its own national day, we couldn’t resist jumping on the bandwagon. It's now a firm staple in our social calendar.
Have you heard of National Pickleball Day and do you know what day it is? We’re here to answer these questions so you’ll be fully prepared for this year’s festivities.
In this article, we’ll explain more about National Pickleball Day, and give you some great ideas of how you can get involved in the celebrations.
What and when is National Pickleball Day 2023?
National Pickleball Day is a day dedicated to celebrating and promoting our beloved sport of pickleball. The date is easy to remember: August 8th.
Just think: the 8th day of the 8th month. This year, the day falls on a Tuesday and marks the 58th anniversary of pickleball’s invention.
Learn more about the history of pickleball:
So now you know, it’s time to plan how you’ll commemorate this remarkable day.
How National Pickleball Day works
The idea of a National Pickleball Day was dreamed up in 2021 by pickleball instructor and advocate, Deirdre Morris. The idea was to get the message out about pickleball, encourage new players, and celebrate our passion for this magnificent game.
This August marks the third National Pickleball Day. With pickleball booming in popularity and Major League Pickleball now airing on our TV screens, this year's celebrations are set to be the biggest yet.
All across the US, pickleball clubs, court facilities, and pickleball-themed restaurants will be holding events to mark the day. Let's take a look at how you can get involved and celebrate in style this year.
How to celebrate National Pickleball Day
If you’re looking for something to do on National Pickleball Day, the best place to start is with your local pickleball group or club. Check out one of the courts in your area to see what the local pickleheads are planning.
Alternatively, why not plan an event yourself? Planning a pickleball tournament is a great way to bring a big group of pickleheads together. Make sure to keep it fun rather than an overly competitive format.
Music, food, and a cooler full of drinks help to keep the atmosphere light and sociable. Take advantage of our pickleball scheduling tool, which lets you send group messages to your whole circle of contacts with all the details of your planned tournament.
Speaking of socializing: why not host a pickleball party? You can do this at your local court facility, in the neighborhood park, or even at home (if you don’t mind cleaning up afterward).
This party could be held after your pickleball tournament. You could even make it a pickleball-themed fancy dress party for extra amusement.
Whatever you decide, it's always rewarding to give back to the community in some way. Why not make it a fundraiser to raise money for a good cause? Whether it’s for new pickleball amenities or a local charity, you’ll be sure to attract a crowd and create a buzz.
Does the location of the celebration matter?
It doesn’t really matter where you celebrate National Pickleball Day, so long as you have enough space to hold all your invited guests.
This day will be celebrated in many different ways across the US. With it being in the middle of summer, you may need to use an air-conditioned venue depending on what state you’re in.
You should also make sure to get all the right permissions if you plan to hold an event in a public space or a court facility.
Photo by Stephen Rahn on Flickr, marked as Public Domain (CC0 1.0)
Celebrating at home vs celebrating at a park
Personally, we would always vouch for holding an event in a public space like a park. Ideally, find a shaded spot with picnic tables and set up some barbecues.
If you’re lucky enough to have a local park with these amenities as well as pickleball courts, then you’re set for an awesome ‘dink and drinks’ event.
Depending on how many people attending your event, it may be necessary to get permission from the park officials.
Photo by Stephen Rahn on Flickr, marked as Public Domain (CC0 1.0)
If you do have the space to host a pickleball party at home, this can be an awesome way to get to know your local pickleball players better as well as show off your hosting skills. Think pickleball-themed canapes, party games, and maybe even our favorite: competitive karaoke!
Fun pickleball-themed games to play on National Pickleball Day
Who doesn’t love a party game? We’re all big fans here at Pickleheads, and National Pickleball Day is the perfect opportunity to break them out.
Novelty games like ring-toss and cornhole always go down a treat. If you prefer exercising the brain, Pickleball Central now sells a pickleball trivia game, so you and your guests can party while brushing up on your knowledge of the sport.
Photo by Pickleball Central
Bottom line
Are you planning an event for this year’s National Pickleball Day? Post it on our court scheduler to attract more attention, and reach out to us on our social media to tell us all about it.
In the meantime, happy dinking!
