Pickleball Under the Lights — 12 Players, West Asheville

Paddles up, lights on — pickleball night at Malvern Hills Park.

Two hours of rotating doubles on the lit city courts in West Asheville. We shuffle partners every game, so by the end of the night you'll have played with (and against) just about everyone. Never played? Good — pickleball is the easiest racquet sport to pick up, and we'll run through the rules before the first game.

The Plan:

• 7:00 PM — Meet at the courts, quick rules rundown for anyone new

• 7:10 PM — Rotating doubles, new partners every game

• 9:00 PM — Wrap up

What to Know:

• Free. Public courts at Malvern Hills Park, 75 Rumbough Pl, West Asheville.

• The courts are lit for evening play and rollaway nets are kept on site.

• Bring a paddle if you have one, plus a ball or two. No paddle? Say so in the event chat and we'll see who has a spare.

• Twelve players max. City rules give groups of 6–12 a two-hour block on the courts, so that's our number.

• It's a December evening in the mountains — dress warm in layers you can peel off once you're moving, and wear sneakers or court shoes. Gloves for between games aren't a bad idea.

• The park restrooms are seasonal and closed this time of year, so plan accordingly.

Energy level: active but social. Lots of laughing at missed shots, nobody keeping serious score.

Why This Event:

Pickleball is built for meeting people: four to a court, new partners every game, and there's always another game ten minutes away. Come solo — most of us do.