1000’s flock to East Nashville for twenty second Annual Tomato Art Fest celebration

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tens of 1000’s of individuals flocked to East Nashville’s Five Points neighborhood this weekend for the twenty second Annual Tomato Art Fest, a celebration that has grown from a small neighborhood occasion to certainly one of Nashville’s most beloved festivals.

The streets have been stuffed with attendees wearing tomato-inspired costumes, with pink and inexperienced being the unofficial gown code of the day.

“Everyone’s wearing red and green because tomatoes have red and green,” one festival-goer stated.

Despite the summer time warmth, attendees have been in excessive spirits as they loved music, artwork, and tomato-themed actions.

“It’s a little warm but you know we work through it,” stated one participant.

Another attendee summed up the festive ambiance: “Everyone’s hot and sweaty but who cares cause we’re all here to celebrate tomatoes.”

What started as a small artwork present has advanced into a serious group occasion that attracts guests from throughout the area.

“It used to be a more small art show, now they added music, people come from far away. It used to be a neighborhood event and now it’s much bigger,” stated a longtime competition attendee.

For many households, the competition has turn into an annual custom.

“We’ve been going out to Tomato Festival for probably four or five years now ever since she was little. She loves to dress up. Tomatoes are her favorite food,” one mum or dad stated.

The competition featured the favored Tomato Push Pull and Wear Parade, showcasing inventive tomato-inspired costumes, strollers, and wagons. Artists and distributors, a lot of whom put together for months, contemplate this their largest money-maker of the 12 months.

“This is unbelievable. Every year gets bigger and bigger and we get so many people from every area and I love the smiles. Look at people smiling, it’s great,” a festival-goer stated.

The occasion has turn into referred to as a group reunion of kinds.

“You’ll cross paths with people you haven’t seen earlier in the year, you’ll see them here,” stated one employee.

Live music was a serious part of the competition, with performances on a number of levels all through the weekend. The 37206 Main Stage featured acts like Andrew Leahey & The Homestead, whereas the eleventh Street Stage showcased Battle of the Vine fan vote winner Roxi Jane amongst others.

And as for the age-old debate about whether or not a tomato is a fruit or vegetable? Festival-goers had various opinions.

“It’s a fruit. Everything that has seeds is a fruit,” one particular person declared.

Another disagreed: “It’s not a fruit, it’s a vegetable.”

A 3rd attendee provided a diplomatic resolution: “Is the tomato a vegetable or a fruit? It’s a uniter not a divider. We are no longer having that conversation.”

The Tomato Art Fest has obtained important recognition through the years, having been voted “Best Festival” consecutively from 2007-2024 within the Nashville Scene Reader’s Polls and featured in publications like Southern Living and Travel and Leisure.

This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been transformed to this platform with the help of AI. Our editorial group verifies all reporting on all platforms for equity and accuracy.

Have you attended the Tomato Art Fest through the years? I’d love to listen to your tales and ideas. Email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com to share your favourite tomato recollections or ideas on how the competition has advanced in East Nashville.