Ketchup With The Tomato Fest In East Nashville

Ketchup With The Tomato Fest In East Nashville

by T.J. Anderson
Next month will mark the 10th anniversary of East Nashville's Tomato Art Festival, to be held Saturday, August 10, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in East Nashville's Historic Five Points.Each year it's grown more sprawling and diverse, more elaborate, and better attended. Last year, an estimated 35,000 people came to celebrate the tomato and the festivities held in its honor. But still the festival has retained that homegrown feel--just like the is-it-a-veggie-or-is-it-a-fruit produce for which it's named. And everyone on this side of town knows that if you throw a party in East Nashville, people will come. The East Side Hootenanny and the Thirth of July block party both just re-proved that.

The Tomato Art Festival was founded in 2003 by Meg and Bret MacFadyen, owners of East Nashville’s Art and Invention Gallery. Ten years ago the gallery hosted a late summer art show celebrating the tomato and planned a few neighborhood events to promote the show. The Tomato Art Fest proved so popular that it immediately turned into an annual, signature event in East Nash. It's now been touted in both the Oxford American and Southern Living, and the Nashville Scene Reader’s Polls named it “Best Festival” in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.The Tomato Art Festival is now accepting applications for the Tomato King and Queen Contest. Please note that gender does not matter; men can compete for the "Queen" title and women for the "King." The contest is held at the East Centric Pavillion on the Thursday night before the festival on August 8 at 8 p.m. And on the morning of the festival there will be a Tomato 5K at 7:30 on Saturday and a kids Fun Run at 7 a.m. You can sign up for the 5K here. Every bit of the proceeds will benefit the Margaret Maddox Family YMCA’s Annual Giving Campaign.We can't wait to celebrate 10 years of the tomato done East Nashville style. Ketchup with us there, K?

Author: TJ Anderson
Phone: 615-364-1530
Dated: July 22nd 2013
Views: 4,743
About TJ: TJ Anderson is a Nashville Realtor with Benchmark Realty who's helped countless clients both buy a h...