Pickleball and craft beer are not the most obvious pairing, yet Kuala Lumpur is about to test the chemistry. On 21 and 22 August 2026, Pickle Park will host the Kura’s PickleBeer Social, a two-day courtside festival that blends American draft pours, smoky BBQ, and plenty of pickleball.
The concept is simple but clever. Instead of charging per head, organisers have opted for a per-court model. At RM175, each booking secures 55 minutes of play, four US craft beers, and a set of limited-edition coasters. No maximum group size is listed, though sessions are capped at two hours per day. Split seven ways, the cost works out at roughly RM25 each—less than the price of a single pint at most city bars.
All Fun, No Pressure
Behind the event is Kura’s Krafts, a Bukit Damansara craft beer bar named after its founders’ Shiba Inu. Known for its rotating taps, imported bottles, and laid-back atmosphere, the bar has teamed up with social sports collective The Last Minute Club to bring the idea to life. Their tagline says it all: “All fun. No pressure. Just questionable backhands and a good time.”
Operating hours stretch from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the first day, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the second—a generous window for groups keen to mix play with pints. The event poster even features Kura the dog in a varsity jacket, mid-swing at a pickleball, with the venue imagined as a sunlit carnival strung with lights and centred around a BBQ pit.
How It Works
Booking is decidedly old-school. Slots are limited, and reservations involve a six-step process: a Google Calendar entry, a bank transfer to Kura’s Krafts, and a WhatsApp confirmation complete with screenshots and payment slips. Courts are only confirmed once both booking and payment are received.
Beer service is restricted to non-Muslims aged 21 and above, and while Kura’s bar is famously pet-friendly, the festival venue is not.
A Different Kind of Social
It is, in essence, a social experiment as much as a festival. By charging per court, organisers have created a format that encourages groups to come together, share the cost, and enjoy the game without worrying about individual tabs. Throw in BBQ, rare American craft beers, and a carnival atmosphere, and you have a weekend that feels both novel and familiar.
Pickleball may be the hook, but the real draw is the chance to earn your drinks—one rally, one backhand, one laugh at a time.
Book a Kura’s Krafts table HERE.
