HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — The Harrisonburg Farmers Market has announced their 5th Annual Tomato Fest — a vibrant, family-friendly celebration of all things tomato, taking place Saturday, August 2, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Turner Pavilion in downtown Harrisonburg.

Founded in 2020, Tomato Fest has become a beloved annual tradition where flavor, fun, and local farming come together.

This year’s lineup includes:
● Chef Demo by Jake McDaniel of Locals Underground
● Tomato Tastings featuring cherry tomatoes, paste tomatoes, and regionally grown heirlooms
● Kids’ “Curiosity Corner” from the Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners — play tic-tac-tomato and share your best tomato jokes
● Tomato Contest open to vendors and the public—bring your best-tasting tomato to win bragging rights
● Giveaway Basket filled with market goodies and tomatoes
● Tomato-Themed Market Products like Tomato Crepes from Mill Song Crepes, Tomato Jam and bandanas from Thistle Hill Pet Treats, and embroidered tomato art from Southern Valley Quilts
● Kids’ Tomato Scavenger Hunt — complete the hunt and earn a Market sticker!
● Dress Like a Tomato Contest — dress to impress in your ripest tomato look! Wear red, don a cap with a leaf, or go big with a juicy tomato outfit!

Many vendors sell heirloom tomatoes, special varieties that aren’t available at typical grocery stores. Heirloom tomatoes are cherished for their rich flavors, unique shapes, and vibrant colors. Here are some examples of heirloom varieties you can expect to find at Tomato Fest:
● North Mountain Produce: Big Beef, Purple Boy, Dark Star, Carolina Gold
● Ryan’s Fruit: Better Boy, Lemon Boy
● Season’s Bounty: Queen of the Night, Hot Streak, Sungold, Pink Jazz, Striped German
● Woods Edge: Striped German, Big Beef Plus, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Marmalade Skies
● Hickory Hill Farm: Berkeley’s Tie Dye, Amish Paste, Illini Gold, Hungarian Paste, Barnes Mountain Orange, Herman Simmons Oxheart (local heirloom), Pink Tiger, Indigo Cherry Drop, Sun Sugar, Celebrity
● Ulmer’s Mountain View Farm: Mortgage Lifter, Brandywine, Big Deena
● Glen Eco Farm: Big Beef, Celebrity Plus, Blosser, Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, Lydia’s Orange, Carbon, Beefsteak, Black Cherry, Big Red Cherry

Tomato Fest is free to attend and open to all ages and thanks to Virginia Fresh Match, customers can shop with SNAP/EBT and double their benefits up to $30 for free fruits and vegetables.

Join the Harrisonburg Farmers Market to celebrate the resilience of local farmers and the bounty of delicious tomatoes, even in challenging times.

Check out the Harrisonburg Farmers Market website for more information.