Pickleball for All will bring the fun of pickleball to the streets of downtown Seattle September 16th and 17th along 5th Avenue, Taylor Avenue and Vine Street. Ten courts, two of them permanent additions downtown, will come alive with drop-in play, free clinics, round robins and wheelchair pickleball. Eight additional pickleball courts will be assembled on city streets using 30′ x 60′ EasyRoll mats. Five strips create one pickleball court. The material for each temporary court weighs 1,500 pounds. This is similar to the material used to create the courts at Pickleball at Wollman Rink in New York’s famed Central Park.
While all of the pre-registered events are full, there will be plenty of drop-in play all weekend. So grab your paddle and make your way to the corner of 5th and Taylor. Besides pickleball, you can relax in the beer garden on Vine Street while listening to live music by The Underhills, Tomo Nakayama and KEXP DJ John Richards. Stroll streets showcasing vendors and food trucks. Free parking will be available at Amazon parking garages throughout the city.
Pickleball For All takes place Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm. A community celebration on Saturday from 4 to 7 pm includes drop-in play and a celebrity match featuring Irina Tereschenko and Connor Garnett along with Mayor Bruce Harrell and Parks Superintendent AP Diaz.
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Pickleball For All event location on Taylor Avenue in Seattle, with Space Needle in background. Photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 24th, 2023. -
Preliminary layout of Pickleball For All taking place on Sept. 16th and 17th 2023 at 5th Ave south of Denny Way in Seattle. -
Astria Pickleball owner Dmitry Ivanenko, SPR’s Andy Sheffer and SMPA president Frank Chiappone discuss pickleball courts on Taylor Avenue on Thursday, Aug. 24th, 2023 in Seattle. -
SMPA president Frank Chiappone holds sample court material on Taylor Ave in Seattle. Photo taken Thursday Aug. 24th, 2023. -
The Seattle Monorail on 5th Avenue provides an elevated backdrop for the Pickleball For All location. Photo taken Aug. 24th, 2023. -
Pickleball For All location on 5th Avenue in Seattle. Photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. -
Pickleball For All event location on 5th Avenue in Seattle. Photo taken Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023.
Pickleball For All is organized by the City of Seattle, Seattle Parks Foundation and Seattle Metro Pickleball Association.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell delivered on the pledge he made in April to include pickleball in Seattle’s Downtown Activation Plan. Over the summer, the City of Seattle, Seattle Parks Foundation and Seattle Metro Pickleball Association began the monumental task of planning the event.
Consider volunteering.
Pickleball For All volunteers are still needed for Sunday and can register on SignUpGenius. This is a great opportunity to make new friends and help behind the scenes.
The City of Seattle and SMPA look forward to presenting the public with an epic Pickleball For All state sport celebration. Scroll down to the bottom of the link for the pickleball and stage schedule.
Come down for some drop-in play. Don’t miss out on the fun!
How to get there:
The nearest address to the event is 2522 5th Avenue at the intersection of 5th and Taylor Avenue. Free parking is available at Amazon garages all weekend. The closest Amazon parking locations are 2250 7th Avenue, 2121 8th Avenue, 2121 7th Ave and 2021 7th Ave (see map).
