KC pickleball fest returns with record registrations
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
So. Much. Pickleball. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
A massive pickleball event unique to Kansas City is happening this weekend, entering its third year with more registrations than ever before.
The big picture: Pickleball is still the fastest-growing sport in the nation despite a nationwide cooldown on new court construction — and tournament play is heating up in KC.
Driving the news: The three-day PickleCon at the Kansas City Convention Center kicks off Friday with pro pickleball speakers, open play, tournaments and clinics.
By the numbers: Director Kelsea Thompson told Axios on Thursday that PickleCon had already surpassed the number of registrations from previous years — 650 players were signed up for tournaments alone, and she was expecting more during the event.
- 47 courts fill 200,000 square feet on the convention center's second floor.
- The setup started Monday — each court, made of a thin outdoor material taped down to concrete, takes up to two hours to assemble.
What they're saying: Thompson says the event is less of a convention and more of a festival, with food trucks and entertainment, including a celebrity game with former Chiefs and Current players.
- The sport is for everyone, she says: "We've had people come here where it's four generations."
- She says a big draw is the glow-in-the-dark pickleball.
Zoom out: Pickleball's popularity has exploded in the last nine years, with a 900% increase in public courts nationwide.
- And it's not just a recreational hobby — pro athletes compete on league teams, including the Kansas City Stingers in the National Pickleball League.
Zoom in: KC trails other big metros for public courts per capita, but institutions like Chicken N Pickle and InPickle Nation, along with rec leagues like KC Crew, have rallied a strong community around the sport.
- Thompson says pickleball's popularity here has grown even since the first PickleCon in 2024, adding the public courts here are well-kept and consistently full.
- KC Parks just cut the ribbon on two new pickleball courts in Case Park downtown.
If you go: It's $20 for spectators or $50 for all-weekend access to the courts.
- Sunday is locals day, where residents who want to do only one day can get in on the action for $20 at the door.