Celebrity Pickleball Tournament: Play With Pros at Barnes Tennis Center, October 2

Drew Brees and a stacked celebrity roster hit Barnes Tennis Center on Friday, October 2, for a pickleball tournament that doubles as a courtside walk-around tasting — all of it benefiting Feeding San Diego.

Overview

This is the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival’s signature pickleball day, presented by JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery. It is not a quiet rec-league morning. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Barnes Tennis Center in Point Loma turns into a mix of doubles play, celebrity round-robin, and an all-inclusive tasting poured courtside.

You can buy in as a player or as a spectator. Player tickets put you in doubles only — register solo and they pair you. Spectator tickets skip the paddle and keep the food, wine, beer, and gin.

What You Need to Know

• Event: Celebrity Pickleball Tournament (benefiting Feeding San Diego)
• When: Friday, October 2, 2026, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
• Where: Barnes Tennis Center — 4490 W Point Loma Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107
• Part of: Del Mar Wine + Food Festival (Sept. 30–Oct. 4)
• Presented by: JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery
• Starting price: $125 (Spectator)
• Tickets: https://delmar.wine/event/celebrity-pickleball-tournament-benefitting-feeding-san-diego/
• Format: Doubles play only. Individual registrants are paired with another player.
• Cause: A portion of festival proceeds supports Feeding San Diego.

Who’s on the Court

The official lineup is sports-and-San-Diego heavy: former world No. 4 tennis player James Blake, former MLB players Brett Tomko and Eric Byrnes, former NHL player Shawn Walker, X Games BMX rider Andy Buckworth, Slightly Stoopid’s Miles Doughty (Ocean Beach), and chef-TV personality Brian Malarkey. Drew Brees is the host name on the event. San Diego Magazine has also flagged former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia, plus more athletes and celebs still to be announced.

Headliners listed on the festival page include Brian Malarkey, Ernie Hahn, and Troy Johnson — expect the celebrity mix to keep filling in closer to October 2.

How the Tickets Work

Six ticket tiers. All pickleball divisions are doubles.

• Spectator — $125. Watch the matches and stay on the tasting side of the day.
• Recreational / Play for Fun — $150 (24 players). Casual play without the cash-purse pressure.
• Tournament B (Intermediate) — $200. Winning team takes a $2,000 purse.
• Tournament A (Advanced) — $200. Winning team takes a $3,000 purse.
• Play with Celebrity — $500 (8 players). Partner with a celebrity in a friendly round-robin.
• Play with Pro Athlete — $600 (8 players). Same idea, with a current or former pro.

Every guest, player or spectator, is in the walk-around tasting. The festival lists courtside pours and plates from JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, Stone Brewing, Hendrick’s Gin, The Cottage, Crudo, and more.

The $500 and $600 partner tickets are capped at eight players each. If the point of going is to actually share a court with a name, buy those first.

What to Expect

Plan on a four-hour window, not an all-day festival. Bring a paddle if you’re entered to play; bring a plan to ride home if you’re there for the tasting. This sits in the middle of festival week — Grand Tasting is the next two days in Del Mar — so it works as a Friday add-on if you’re already in for the weekend, or as a one-off if pickleball plus food is the whole assignment.

Barnes Tennis Center is in Point Loma, not at the Grand Tasting site in Del Mar. Don’t mix the addresses.

Good to Know

• Festival ticket terms: events, prices, and personalities can change; tickets are typically non-refundable.
• Age: Del Mar Wine + Food Festival events are generally 21+ unless noted otherwise. Confirm on the ticket page before you buy for anyone younger.
• Parking: Barnes Tennis Center is at 4490 W. Point Loma Blvd. Expect a busy Friday around Point Loma / Ocean Beach; rideshare is the easier call if you’re drinking.
• More of the week: the Grand Tasting runs Saturday–Sunday, October 3–4, in Del Mar.

Whether you pay to play or take the spectator ticket and stay on the tasting side, this is the festival’s sport-meets-sip afternoon — and one of the few San Diego events where the paddle and the pour are on the same ticket.

Tickets and the current celebrity list: https://delmar.wine/event/celebrity-pickleball-tournament-benefitting-feeding-san-diego/

For more of what’s on this fall, browse https://www.hellosandiego.com/events