Hoopla a 'massive family reunion' in Salem: See 2025 schedule

Hoopla will return to Salem for its 26th rendition, beginning July 22 and wrapping up July 27.

It’s a 3-on-3 basketball tournament that draws more than 1,000 teams of all ages and skill levels. It’s the second-largest street 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the nation, and it takes place outside the Oregon State Capitol.

There’s music, food and basketball. It’s promoted as a family-fun and community-oriented event that could draw roughly 50,000 spectators throughout the week, Hoopla tournament director Jason Unruh said.

“It’s a big festival,” Unruh said. “We’ve got music playing on all the courts, there’s big food booths and all these special contests and events, it’s really like a massive family reunion for our whole region.”

“I see so many people hugging and having fun, posting up in their tents and lawn chairs all weekend. It’s very rewarding,” he said.

Hoopla gives back to Salem community

On July 25, Hoopla organizes a free kid’s clinic for youth to learn skills and socialize.

Unruh said the clinic typically draws upwards of 150 to 200 kids that get to spend their morning playing ball.

Hoopla also works with Salem-Keizer Public Schools to offer an event called Unified P.E., which is a basketball clinic for students with disabilities. That will take place July 24.

Hoopla is staffed by countless local students and athletes acting as volunteers, so Unruh and Hoopla make it a point to give back to that community.

“We’ll make a contribution to their programs,” Unruh said. “It goes so far when you can give (a local school program) $1,500 or $2,000 … all told over the 26 years of the Hoopla we’re just shy of $1 million, we’ve pumped about $950,000 back into these volunteer groups – which means a lot to us.”

Hoopla recently launched an online crowdfunding campaign in hopes of opening a permanent facility for Hoopla in Salem. The facility, dubbed Hoopla National, would offer year-round use as a space for basketball.

“We’re going to concentrate a lot of time and effort on promoting that and trying to get people to support that,” Unruh said.

Unruh made clear Hoopla is not unhappy with where it’s at now, but wants to “take the event to a new level.”

Hoopla 2025 event schedule, map and more

Courts for Hoopla surround the Oregon State Capitol building and make for a one-of-a-kind setting for the one-of-a-kind tournament.

Team check-in and preliminary contest rounds will take place at the YMCA on Court Street NE.

A site map for all things Hoopla can be found at oregonhoopla.com/week/courts.

Here is the schedule for Hoopla:

• Tuesday, July 22: Build-your-own division tournament and corporate challenge tournament, 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 23: Men’s and women’s 2-on-2 invitational tournament, 6 p.m.
• Thursday, July 24: Unified basketball clinic, 9 a.m.; Chuck E. Cheese 1-on-1 tournament, 4 p.m.
• Friday, July 25: Free kids clinic, 10 a.m.; Hoopla team check-in, 11 a.m.; 2-on-2 tournament, 1 p.m.; qualifying for 3-point, free throw and 2-ball contests, 2 p.m.
• Saturday, July 26: Hoopla team check-in, 6:30 a.m.; Hoopla opening ceremonies, 7:45-8 a.m.; Hoopla 3-on-3 tournament games, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; contest qualifying, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 2-ball contest finals, 2:30 p.m.; free throw contest finals, 4 p.m.; 3-point shootout finals, 4:45 p.m.; the gauntlet, 6 p.m.; hustle and sportsmanship awards, all day.
• Sunday, July 27: Hoopla 3-on-3 tournament games and championship ceremonies, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; hustle and sportsmanship awards, all day. 

For more information, go to oregonhoopla.com/week/schedule.

Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem Hoopla 2025: Event schedule, map, info