Hosting a party is a lot of fun, but it can be a lot of stress too. The best way to minimize your stress during the party planning process is to take inspiration from others. Luckily, today it’s easy to find pickleball party inspiration! Whether you want to celebrate the end of your pickleball season or a big win, there are many fun ways to organize a pickleball party on and off the courts. Check out some of our favorite pickleball party decor, cake, and game options you can incorporate into your party.
Pickleball Party Decorations
Good party decor is essential to setting the tone and displaying the theme for your guests. These pickleball party decorations are easy to create, affordable, and unique!
Pickleball Bouquet
The holes in a pickleball are the perfect size for flower stems to go through! Use a short, wide glass that will hold the pickleball while still letting some of the ball stick out the top. Put water in the glass, so it meets the bottom of the ball.
Finally, cut flowers of your choice so they can slide through the pickleball with the end of the stem going into the water. Create multiple pickleball bouquets to put on party tables as a gorgeous centerpiece!
Wreath of Pickleballs
Making a wreath of pickleballs is a great way to decorate the outside of the door where the party is being held. Guests will know right away that they’re at the right place!
To make a pickleball wreath, you’ll need an empty wreath frame, pickleballs, and clear zip ties. Secure the balls to the wreath frame one at a time using the zip ties until the wreath is full with no frame showing through. Trim the ends of the zip ties, so they’re not visible.
Add a pickleball paddle or team colors to the wreath for an even bigger wow factor!
Edible Pickleball Court
An edible pickleball court is a decorative statement piece that your guests will love! Making this decoration takes a bit more skill than the others, but it’s not hard once you get the hang of it.
You’ll need wood, a measuring tape, some type of saw to cut the wood, and a nail gun. Cut four pieces of wood to make the shape of a pickleball court. Smaller pieces can then be measured and cut to imitate the lines on pickleball courts. Secure the pieces together using a nail gun.
You can paint the wood white for a more realistic look, but it isn’t required.
Once the court is built, fill all the areas between your wood pieces with green m&m’s! Place a few pickleballs for decoration and add a scoop so guests can get the candy out. The best part of this decoration is that it’s relatively cheap to make and you can keep it for future parties.
Pickleball Party Favors
Any good party includes party favors for guests to take home at the end of the event. Party favors should be something that your guests can look at and remember fond times with friends. Pickleball players and watchers alike will love these party favors that are centered around their favorite sport!
Personalized Tumblers
Personalized tumblers take a bit longer to make than other party favors, but the result is well worth it! Start by getting a clear tumbler cup with a straw for each of your guests. These can be found at party stores, dollar stores, and online. Plain clear tumblers are pretty affordable, so it never hurts to buy extra in case you make a mistake!
Next, you have to choose a design for the tumblers. Putting the guest’s name at the bottom of the cup with a pickleball and paddle above it is a good place to start if you’re lacking inspiration.
A Cricut can be used to bring your design to life. Cricuts print out your design on a material that can then be stuck to the tumbler.
If you don’t have a Cricut, chances are one of your friends or family members does! You can also explore local craft shops and sellers that can make the tumblers for you. If you go that route, all you’ll have to do is place the order, pay the purchase price, and pick it up when they’re finished.
You can fill the cups with fun-sized candy for a party favor that’s two in one!
Pickleball Awards
Everyone loves a party favor with a bit of fun and humor. Purchase a jar of pickles for each guest you’re expecting. Next, get a pickleball for each jar. You can spray-paint the balls to imitate a gold, silver, and bronze award. Let the paint dry before moving on to the next step.
Use a hot glue gun to secure a pickleball to the lid of each pickle jar.
To turn these party favors into a fun game for your guests to play, let guests vote for funny superlatives. Tally the votes and have an award ceremony where you read off what the award is for before giving each guest their pickleball award!
Pickleball Cake Ideas
What’s a party without a good cake? Pickleball cakes have endless possibilities! From DIY designs to intricate fondant details done by a professional baker, the sky is the limit when you’re choosing a pickleball cake for your party.
Retirement Cake
A retirement-themed pickleball cake could be for a pickleball player who’s decided to retire from playing. Alternatively, this cake could be for someone who’s retiring from their traditional job to spend more time playing pickleball.
Here’s an example of a retirement-themed cake that features the person’s age, name, and love for pickleball all in one cake. Consider adding detail about how long the person has played pickleball and highlight their love of the game.
Pickleball Cupcakes
Cupcakes are a convenient party choice because you won’t have to worry about cutting and serving a cake. Make your cupcakes or buy some pre-made cupcakes. Stick to pickleball-themed colors for the frosting, like yellow, green, and white.
Add a pickleball cupcake topper to each cupcake, and you’re done! This is the best option when you don’t want to spend a lot of time or money on your pickleball party cake.
DIY Cake
Making a DIY pickleball cake is a lot of fun and allows you to make it your own. Start by baking a round or square pickleball cake. A square cake is already in the shape of a pickleball court, while a round cake will take a bit more creativity when you decorate.
Use green frosting in a frosting bag to create the texture of a pickleball court. White fondant can be molded and placed on top of the pickleball court lines.
Finally, add a personal touch. This could be a cartoon pickle made out of fondant, writing done with frosting, or whatever else you want!
Professional Pickleball Cakes
If you want to impress your friends and take the stress of making a cake off your shoulders, find a professional baker in your area to create a pickleball cake. Professional cakes can be bigger, more detailed, and will look better on the display table.
Take in some reference photos or even real pickleball gear so the baker can create exactly what you want.
Pickleball Party Games
Party games that everyone can play together are a fantastic way to amp up the fun factor at your pickleball party! Check out these pickleball-themed party games sp there’s never a dull moment.
Glow Pickleball Tournament
A glow pickleball tournament is a fun and exciting way to get your guests moving! Use glow tape to line the pickleball court. Hang a few black lights, choose a neon-colored pickleball, and you’re ready to play!
Add to the fun by letting your guests play for prizes. Find all the details about setting up your glow pickleball tournament here.
Movie Trivia with a Twist
Choose quotes from iconic movies and change them slightly to fit a pickleball theme. Changing a few words will make it harder for guests to name what movie the quote comes from, but the more challenging the game, the more satisfying it is to win!
Create a question and answer card like this to get the movie trivia started.
Pickleball Murder Mystery
Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery game you solve together? This game brings that to life with a pickleball twist for just $20.
The club champ is dead. Can your party guests solve the mystery?
Pickleball Party Supplies
Pickleball party supplies are easier to find than ever before. From personalized invitations to pickleball-themed plates, the internet has it all!
Etsy is the place to go for all things personalized and cute. There are tons of ready-made party favors to choose from, as well as decorations, cupcake toppers, and invites. Amazon has a set of pickleball plates and napkins for 20 guests for just $30! Zazzle has everything from banners to balloons and gift bags.
Bringing the pickleball party of your dreams to life just takes a little planning and a lot of love for the sport! Try any of these great, fun party ideas, and you’ll be organized and ready to have a blast at your next get-together.