Keep eye on the pickleball for a good cause
Those narrowing down what to do this weekend may find themselves in quite the pickle — pickleball, that is. The inaugural Bakersfield Pickleball and Music Festival will be held at Jastro Park on Saturday.
Seizing on the popularity of what is being called America’s fastest-growing sport, the event will consist of a pickleball tournament, a crash course for the uninitiated, live music, food vendors, beer and wine garden, information booths and more.
The event is being put on by Mercy House, a nonprofit aiming to end homelessness. It operates the Brundage Lane Navigation Center, the city’s homeless shelter that just celebrated its one-year anniversary and helped assist 750 clients and found permanent housing for 85 people over the last year.
Victor Palacio, community engagement specialist for Mercy House, said the concept came together on a whim.
“We decided to start something new, and on our regional advisory board sits regional chair David Brust. It was his idea. He is a big pickleball player.”
Palacio didn’t have the latest numbers for sign-ups but said there is still room for players in both the men’s and women’s divisions, which are categorized by skill level: 3.0 for beginners, 3.5 for some experience and 4.0 for steady players.
“Personally I’m a 3.0,” Palacio said. “I’ve played before but I still get my losses.”
For those not ready to compete, there will be a tutorial for those who want to pick up a paddle without pressure.
The game is played on a court that’s half the size of a tennis court, using paddles and a whiffle ball.
Palacio said along with a trained instructor, he and Brust will be there offering pointers for those at all performance levels.
“The whole goal of this is to really have fun. It’s a public outlet to have a good time.”
The festival will also include live music from Captain Morgan And The Fish at 9 a.m., Elevation 406 at 11:30 a.m. and Mento Buru at 2 p.m.