Pickleball gains momentum: Victoria festival and India's Sheth family shine

A new three‑day Pickleball Festival will be held in Victoria, British Columbia, from August 28‑30, 2026 at the recently opened 11‑court hub in Topaz Park. The event will combine a competitive tournament – the Clipper Cup – with a vendor market and food garden, drawing players from across British Columbia and Washington state. Festival organizer Brittany Buna said the goal is to create a flagship Canadian event and later expand the festival nationwide.

In India, the Sheth family of Ahmedabad has become the country's largest pickleball‑playing household. Seven members regularly train together, and younger siblings Atharva and Anshi have achieved international success, winning a silver medal at the 2025 Pickleball World Cup and competing at the 2024 World Cup in Peru. Their dedication highlights the sport’s rapid growth in India, where pickleball is projected to become a billion‑dollar market by 2032.