Thursday, March 28, 2024

Red Bird Athletic Department’s first Pickleball Party is Friday, June 7th

What began as a conversation three years ago between two local downtown Sylvania art galleries about how to bring more visitors to the downtown Sylvania business district has turned into a Red Bird Art District Art Walk and pickleball party you don’t want to miss.

Dani Fuller of Fuller Arthouse, and Scott Hudson of Hudson Gallery in downtown Sylvania chatted one day about clever ways that the district could bring more people to monthly First Friday art walk celebrations and the quirky idea of including a pickleball tourney came up. Fuller had tried the trending sport and thought it would be fun for others to try.

Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It is played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net. Plastic balls with holes, similar to ping-pong balls are used. Sylvania offers six pickleball courts located at Memorial Field in Sylvania and three indoor courts at Tam-O-Shanter during the fall and winter months. Introducing this sport to the Art Walk which had previously been solely an art party, it seemed logical to branch out to include other local organizations to this June’s event.

Joining the team

The Sylvania Pickleball Club and the Sylvania Recreation District have now joined forces with the Red Bird Arts District to host this pickleball party. The downtown businesses involved in this month’s art walk will include pickleball into the celebration with pickleball themed art, food and merchandise for purchase.

Covering the bases

Aside from the pickleball fun, the celebration will also include new art exhibits, Guy In The 419 will be a guest DJ, downtown restaurants are now DORA (downtown outdoor refreshment area) friendly so you can stroll the district and shop, food trucks include Leaf and Seed, Rusty’s Road Trip and Mayberry Ice Cream.

Friday, June 7th from 5pm-9pm  in the Downtown Sylvania Red Bird Arts District. downtownsylvania.org

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