Serve up an Excellent Pickleball Party with These Tips

Whether you’re a die hard pickleball player or have recently fallen in love with the game, consider a pickleball theme for your next bash. From bachelorette parties to birthday celebrations, you can roll the theme into almost any gathering you like. 

Get the party (and games) started with this ultimate pickleball party guide — complete with tips for activities, invitations, outfit suggestions, party decorations, and more.

On- and Off-Court Pickleball Party Ideas

You’ll want to start by deciding what your party will look like. Will this be a learn-to-play event? Are you renting courts where multiple games can be played at once, or are you hosting at home? Here are some ideas for on-court and off-court activities to spark inspiration.

On-Court Ideas

Design: Cat Caudillo | Let’s Pickle Invitation

There are many ways to keep guests entertained on the court from a standard pickleball tournament to skills lessons. Here are a few to consider:

• Pickleball showdown: Set up a bracket-style elimination tournament with prizes (medals and trophies go well with the theme) for the winners.
• Skill drills: Organize various stations to help participants improve their skills, such as dinks and serves.
• Shuffle: Instead of matching players with the same abilities, mix and match different skill levels to create doubles.
• Have a dink off: Set up a dink contest to see who has the best soft and controlled shot.
• Special challenges: If the group is stacked with experienced players, have mini challenges they each need to complete and see who does them best.

Off-Court Ideas

Design: Signature Greenvelope | Pickleball Era Invitation

Chances are not everyone at the party will want to play pickleball the whole time. Some attendees might just be there to cheer on their friends, indulge in some dinks (whoops, drinks!), and socialize. As a best practice, consider some off-court activities to keep the fun going away from the nets.

• Bring a deck or two of cards, and set up a couple of card tables and chairs so attendees can play Euchre, hearts, gin rummy, or go fish. 
• Set up a crafting station with plain sun visors and items to decorate them with (e.g., glitter, glue, stickers, and other embellishments).
• Stream professional pickleball players for a watch party.
• Print out some trivia quizzes to test everyone’s knowledge of pickleball’s history, famous players, and rules. (Did you know the game was invented in 1965?)

Make a Statement with Your Pickleball Party Invitations

Design: Holly Whitcomb | Handpainted Pickleballs Invitation

When hosting a party, sending out invitations is an essential step to ensuring everyone’s on the same page and knows the key details. But it’s also a visual way of grabbing their attention and getting them excited about adding your party to their calendar.

For a design that matches the pickleball vibe: 

• Set the scene with a court or pickleball nets as the background.
• Incorporate pickleball paddles and/or balls as the main design object(s).
• Use bright colors that set a high-energy tone.
• Lean on the neon greens, whites, and yellows typically tied to the sport.

When you send online invitations, you can customize a pickleball party invitation template or create your own design.

Wording Suggestions 

Design: Owl and Toad | Out of the Kitchen Invitation

Even if you choose an invitation template, you can customize the text and the details you include. Here are some wording suggestions to help you set the stage (or court) for your event:

• We’ll be serving up a good time, we hope you can join us!
• Show off your dinking skills on the court during our pickleball social.
• When you get out of the kitchen, meet us at the bar. Join us for dinks & drinks. 
• Let’s pickle! Grab your paddles and celebrate with us. 
• Calling all singles! Do you have plans for [date]? You do now! 
• Let’s hit the court to celebrate a milestone birthday. 
• Time for dinks and drinks in honor of [name]’s upcoming nuptials. 
• Watch out for double trouble at our annual pickleball party.
• Calling all pickleball enthusiasts. We’re ringing in the New Year with some friendly competition.
• Join us on the court for our pickleball party.
• Let’s dink all day! (Or let’s day dink!) RSVP to secure your spot on the pickleball court.
• Join us for pickleball shots on and off the court.
• Let’s make a racket in celebration of [name] turning [age]!
• We’re throwing a pickleball social! Bring your paddle and your game face.
• Let the games begin! Join us on the courts for a smashing good time and pickleball tournament. 
• You’ve been served … an invitation for a good time!

In addition to grabbing their attention, make sure to include if attendees should bring their own pickleball equipment and dress code details. If there are invitees who aren’t familiar with the game, add a note to assure them they don’t need to be a pro to attend or participate — e.g., “New to pickleball? No problem! All skill levels are welcome.”

Pickleball Party Dress Code Options

If your guests are pickleball rookies, they may not know what to wear. Suggest they come in sporty attire, such as moisture-wicking tops and shorts or tennis skirts. You might also want to recommend they bring sun visors or sports caps to keep the sun of their eyes. 

But you might also want to add a fun spin to the party dress code. Add the details to your invite if you want guests to bring along certain accessories or wear specific colors. Here are some creative dress code ideas:

• Ask guests to submit their t-shirt size when they RSVP, then order custom shirts for the event. 
• Tell guests to accessorize with funny socks, bold sweatbands, or silly headwear.
• Provide neon green tutus or sashes for birthday or bachelorette party celebrations.
• Request guests wear the same color, or assign colors for pairs. 

Add to the excitement of the day by giving a prize to the best dressed pickleball player or the most creative pickleball-themed outfit. If you think the group needs a nudge to dress the part, tease the award as extra incentive on the invitation.

Have a Ball with These Pickleball Party Decorations 

Decorating for a party brings it up to the next level. Depending on where you’re hosting the gathering, there might be limitations. For example, if you’ve rented local courts and the game plan is to go to dinner or a bar following a tournament, there may not be opportunities for decking out the venue. However, if you’ve set up a DIY court in your backyard, you can go all out with pickleball party supplies. 

Here are a few suggestions to get you in the party decorations mindset:

• Decorate tableware with pickleball-inspired colors.
• Use green table runners to mirror a pickleball court. Take it a step further by using white tape to make a “court” on the table. 
• Create a garland or a pickleball banner using miniature balls and paddles.
• Use pickleball-themed cupcake toppers.
• Purchase cocktail napkins and paper plates in bright greens and yellows to set the vibe (or some online party stores sell court and paddle-shaped party plates).
• Fill vases with flowers and pickleballs as centerpieces, or set candle arrangements on paddles.
• Buy pickleball-themed party platters at Amazon for serving up appetizers.
• Make a DIY banner with wording like “Game on!” or “Let’s Dink!” 
• Create a pickleball-inspired backdrop for a designated photo booth area. Couple this with DIY or ready-made photo props.
• Make a scoreboard for tracking all the game or tournament results.
• Surf Etsy to find an array of customizable and handmade pickleball decorations.

As additional food for thought, help set the scene for your get-together with themed snacks and drinks:

• Pickles (duh)
• Vlasic Pickle Balls (dill pickle-flavored corn puffs)
• Round items that resemble pickleballs (cheese balls, melon, grapes, etc.)
• A signature cocktail like “Paddle Punch” with themed drink stirrers

First-aid kits shouldn’t be considered decorations, but they do come in handy, so add them to your supply list!

Level Up Your Game with These Party Favors

Design: Robinson Creative House | Pickleball Court Invitation

Help guests remember the fantastic time they have at the party by serving up party favors. Need some inspiration? We’ve got you covered:

• Purchase some green pickleball-themed candies.
• Buy personalized mini paddles. 
• Help them find their car keys more easily with pickleball keychains.
• Purchase themed vinyl stickers they can sport on their water bottles. 
• Hand out themed socks.
• Offer up sweatbands or wristbands.
• Create koozies with a punny saying like “Dink responsibly!” with a visual of a paddle and ball.

If the celebration calls for all attendees to sign something for a guest of honor, consider having their keepsake be a special paddle that all of the friends and family sign at the event.

Make Your Pickleball Party a Hit

Whether your guests are already avid players or they’ll be trying pickleball for the first time, pickleball is a fun, interactive theme for a party. Serve up good times, laughs, and friendly competition with a pickleball party full of on- and off-court fun.

No matter what kind of party you’re planning, from retirement or birthday fetes to engagement or anniversary celebrations, check out our Stationers blog for theme ideas and inspiration.