Events & Contests
Have you ever seen a tomato dressed up for a pageant?
Children’s storytime all about tomatoes and their fruit & vegetable friends?
— Well we have, and that is just the start to all Tomato Art Fest has to offer.
Find your favorite contests, events, & activities below!
Events of all kinds await tomato fanatics and supporters alike!
FEATURED EVENTS
CONTESTS
ALL ACTIVITIES
Check back again soon! Events are confirmed and announced throughout the summer leading up to festival weekend.
Tomato Red Head Contest
East Nashville’s beloved vintage shop, Hip Zipper will host the return of the ‘Red Head Contest’ - A festival favorite! The contest will be held at 2:30 at the Dolly Mural at the corner of Hip Zipper Vintage and The 5 Spot Bar
Tomato Art Fest Cornhole Tournament
Does your team have what it takes to go all the way to the top of the bracket in the Tomato Art Fest Cornhole Tournament? Truly a fan favorite of the festival, teams compete in a bracket style tournament to crown the top team and win prizes from local restaurants.
Tomato Art Fest Haiku Contest
August 7 Deadline
HAIKU: an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five syllables respectively.
Add a Tomato twist and enter the contest!
Register your haiku! Winner’s poems will be read aloud at the festival
Beautiful Tomato Contest
Picture a beauty pageant with beautiful contestants, perfect outfits, and exciting judges. Now just picture those contestants and your favorite garden tomatoes!
Dress up your home grown or store bought contestants and enter them into East Nashville’s favorite pageant.
Tomato Costume Contest
We see them every year: your outstanding tomato costumes, hats, and outfits. This year, we want to make it official and highlight all of the tomato wears. Register and join us after the Parade to show off your creations!
Bloody Mary Garden Party
Bloody Mary fans unite at the Tomato Art Fest Bloody Mary Garden Party. This tasting event features full size Bloody Marys, a robust Garnish bar, mimosas, plus a tomato-tastic photo area. Decorate your Derby Style hat and compete in the Hat Decorating Contest to win fun prizes from sponsors and local restaurants!
Kids Art Show
Hey Kids! What do you think of when you hear “Tomato”? Draw it and submit it to the Kids Art Show! Any 2 dimensional art is accepted and all pieces should be on paper or thin cardboard. Ribbons will be awarded to Best of show and 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each age group.
Tomato Art Fest “Push, Pull, and Wear” Parade
Tomato lovers line the streets of Five Points to see the quirky and original parade entries every year. Local bands and drumlines bring the excitement and get the crowds involved as the parade winds through the neighborhood, ending in Five Points!
Biggest, Littlest, Ugliest Tomato Contest
We love UGLY tomatoes! That’s right, the uglier the better. We also love those big tomatoes and the teeny weenie ones, too! Enter your Ugliest Tomato, Biggest Tomato, and Littlest Tomato!
East End UMC’s KidFest
Swing by East End UMC from 9-3pm and enjoy inflatables, games and more!
East Nashville Tomato 5K
Start your tomato day by walking, jogging, skipping, or sprinting a 5K through East Nashville. This race is for the whole family, with a Kids Fun Run taking place before the 5K kicks off.
Vendor Marketplace
Some of the most unique and creative local and regional vendors take over the streets of East Nashville for Tomato Art Fest on Saturday August 12 from 9 AM - 7 PM. You'll be sure to find a have-to-have, one-of-a-kind tomato treasure while you're exploring the marketplace.
Entertainment
Every year you can expect to see some of East Nashville's finest musicians take the stage at Tomato Art Fest. With 3 stages around the festival and pop up performances throughout the day you are sure to hear great music everywhere you go!
Music is played from open to close so be sure to check out the lineups and schedule time to see your favorite bands.
Tomato Art Show
Have you ever seen a gallery full of art inspired by the tomato and its fruit and vegetable friends? We have, and we think it’s awesome, quirky, and different than anything you have ever seen. Stop by the gallery to browse and purchase some great local art!
Tomato Art Show Pre View Party
Be the first to see the 2024 Tomato Art Show at the Pre View Party! Guests can enjoy local snacks, drinks, and entertainment, plus you can purchase your favorite Tomato art pieces. Grab a ticket to browse and get your hands on some wonderful local art before festival weekend!
Home Decorating Contest
Turn your yard, porch, garage, or front door into a tomato masterpiece the week of Tomato Art Fest! The neighborhood has always had a flair for tomato yard decor, so let’s celebrate the creativity! Decorations include tomatoes, arts and crafts, humans, pets, vehicles; we have seen it all.
Eastie Beastie Photo Contest
July 25 - August 8
Local animal resource and rescue East Community Action Network (C.A.N.) is hosting their annual photo contest where participants submit a photo of their pets dressed/representing the uniting spirit of the tomato. Dogs, hogs, hedgehogs, and any other pets have a place in this contest. No entry fee!