(NASHVILLE, TN) August 14, 2024 — The Tomato Art Fest celebrated its 21st anniversary on August 9-10, 2024, and achieved a record-breaking attendance. An estimated 70,000 people participated in the free, two-day art festival held in East Nashville, which showcases tomato-themed artwork from various artists.
The Art Show Pre-View Party sold out as visitors eagerly sought to purchase one of the 475 art pieces on display, marking a new record for the festival. The Push, Pull and Wear Parade also saw unprecedented participation, drawing both participants and spectators to the streets of East Nashville, including the central Five Points area. A standout feature was the tomato popsicle graffiti art created by local artist Troy Duff, who has been contributing to the festival for a decade.
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Saturday’s events began with the parade and continued with a full day of activities, including performances by 14 acts across two stages, numerous contests, shopping with over 200 artisan vendors, children’s activities, and unique food and drink options. The festival hosted a variety of contests, such as home decorating, costumes, hat decorating, tomato recipes, haiku, and categories like the most beautiful, biggest, littlest, and ugliest tomatoes. The complete list of contest winners is available on the Tomato Art Fest website.
One of the highlights was the Bloody Marty Garden Party on Saturday morning, which featured bloody marys from four local Nashville restaurants: Lakeside Lounge, Fonda, Tall Tales, and Sadie’s. This event was a hit and tickets sold out quickly.
The Tomato Art Fest has been consistently voted a “Best Festival” in the Nashville Scene Reader’s Polls since 2007. Voting is now open for the Nashville Scene Best of 2025. For more information about the festival, visit TomatoArtFest.com or contact Tracie at Good Neighbor Festivals.
The event is supported by various sponsors, including Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Amazon, Tennessee Titans, Sweet Baby Ray’s, Sinkers Beverages, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, and WSMV-TV.
About Tomato Art Fest:
The Tomato Art Fest began as a celebration of the tomato through locally curated art. True to its name, the festival prominently features tomato-inspired artwork with over 450 pieces displayed throughout the weekend. The festival has received accolades from publications like Oxford American, Southern Living, Southwest Airlines Magazine, Travel, and Leisure, and has been a recurring winner in the Nashville Scene Reader’s Polls from 2007 to 2022. The event is free and open to the public, fostering community spirit through art, contests, live music, vendor shopping, children’s activities, and local food. It also emphasizes environmental sustainability and supports the Friends of Shelby Park with a portion of its proceeds.
Source: Read Original Release