Presented by Friends of the Children Austin

The Big Pickle 2025

About This Event

The third annual Big Pickle will be a day of fun and competitive pickleball, great food and drinks, excellent swag, music and amazing raffle prizes in a beautiful hill country setting! Pickleball players at all levels are welcome, and spectators are encouraged to join us for the day! All funds raised through The Big Pickle provide critical support for the mission and work of Friends of the Children Austin.

Learn more about sponsorship opportunities for The Big Pickle here or contact Caroline Page at cpage@friendsaustin.org 

The tournament will go on, rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, we will move indoors and have an adapted version. Pickleball fun and festivities will take place regardless! If the outdoor tournament is not able to take place because of weather, donation refunds will not be issued.

 

About This Event

The third annual Big Pickle will be a day of fun and competitive pickleball, great food and drinks, excellent swag, music and amazing raffle prizes in a beautiful hill country setting! Pickleball players at all levels are welcome, and spectators are encouraged to join us for the day! All funds raised through The Big Pickle provide critical support for the mission and work of Friends of the Children Austin.

Learn more about sponsorship opportunities for The Big Pickle here or contact Caroline Page at cpage@friendsaustin.org 

The tournament will go on, rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, we will move indoors and have an adapted version. Pickleball fun and festivities will take place regardless! If the outdoor tournament is not able to take place because of weather, donation refunds will not be issued.

 

Tournament Registration

Between Jan. 21 – Jan. 31, you can take advantage of early bird registration for the tournament! Capacity for early bird registration is limited, so act fast. Early bird registration for one team, which includes two players, is $300.

After Jan. 31, registration will be $400 for one team.

Spectator tickets are $75.

Custom Big Pickle hats will be available to purchase for $25.

Tournament Information

A pickleball team consists of two players. There are three tournament divisions this year: Womens, Mixed and Social. Please see the skill level information and descriptions of each division:

Beginner (available in Womens and Mixed divisions): Intended for players with limited pickleball experience who are looking to play in tournament-style competitions. Participants in this division may play a few times a year. Skills for this level should include familiarity with keeping score, the ability to serve, and basic capacity for a short rally.

Intermediate (available in Womens and Mixed divisions): Intended for players with moderate pickleball experience who play, on average, a few times per month, or more. Skills for this level should include the ability to volley and control shots, such as dinks (soft shots aimed at the opponent’s kitchen area), the ability to hit forehand and backhand with direction, and a more robust understanding of rules for play.

Social (available to play as a Womens, Mens or Mixed team): Intended for those who have never picked up a pickleball paddle before and/or want to have fun playing pickleball without a focus on tournament-style competition. You might even want to have a beverage in hand while playing. These players are learning basic rules and techniques, while developing an understanding of court positioning, serve, and return of serve.

Note: A team can only play in one division.

Tournament Schedule

Proper fuel—breakfast and coffee—will be on hand starting at 8 am, and then round robin-style match play will kick off at 9 am. Teams’ game times will vary depending on division selection. Teams will be notified in February with a more specific timeframe on their start time. The social division will take place in the late afternoon/evening.

Meals, snacks and beverages will be provided and replenished throughout the entire day, for both players and spectators. All players will receive food and beverage as part of their registration, along with great Big Pickle swag and some giveaways.

We hope for friends and family to come watch the tournament and participate in the fun, so we are offering spectator tickets, which will also include food, beverages and a Big Pickle hat.