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PIERCETON – If you love small town festivals, this is the one you won’t want to miss.
The 19th annual Heirloom Tomato Festival will be Saturday in Brower Park and The Old Train Depot in downtown Pierceton.
The festival kicks off with a 5K Run/walk. Registration on race day will be from 8 to 8:40 a.m. in Brower Park. The race begins and ends in the park. Registration is $30 day of race. Awards will be given. For more information on the 5K, go to piercetonchamber.com/forms or runsignup.com.
The day-long festivities begin at 10 a.m. and continue through 4 p.m. with a full day of entertainment, contests, education, vendors, food and fun planned, according to a provided news release.
A highlight of the festival is an heirloom tomato display of approximately 100 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and vegetables, which will be located inside the Old Train Depot. Also located inside the building are heirloom tomato tastings, an agricultural art show and the tomato baking contest.
New this year is a silent auction sponsored by the Pierceton Chamber of Commerce. Funds raised by this event go towards the Pierceton Chamber scholarships. A variety of items will be available for people to bid on while supporting the students in the community.
Local historian Joan Hostetler will offer a walking history tour of Pierceton. Meet at the information booth at 11 a.m. to join the tour. Hostetler will also be available in The Old Train Depot to scan any photos you may have of Pierceton in earlier years.
Located in Brower Park will be a Tomato Sandwich Social, food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, fried green tomatoes, homemade ice cream, farmers market and activities for children in the kid’s activity area. Live music and entertainment are also scheduled with performances by Cumberland Gap, Mikey and Katie, Whitko High School Band, Kate Carpenter, Class Act Dance Troupe, Belles and Beaus Square Dancing, Anna Hagen and street performers portraying George Washington and Uncle Sam.
Local quilter Aleta Baker Smith has designed, stitched and donated a quilt for the festival. The quilt will be on display in The Old Train Depot. Purchase a tomato sticker and you may be lucky enough to take the quilt home. All proceeds go towards the festival expenses.
There will be two scavenger hunts this year. “Find the Golden Tomato” returns and new this year will be a “Kid’s Scavenger Hunt” for ages 10 and under. Information and the scavenger hunt forms will be available at the Information booth located in Brower Park. Both scavenger hunts begin at 10 a.m. and completed forms must be turned in no later than 4 p.m. “Find the Golden Tomato” hunt will have one lucky person win $250. The “Kid’s Scavenger Hunt” will have one winner of $50. Winner will be chosen from all correctly completed forms returned to the information booth prior to 4 p.m.
Do you have a vegetable garden this year? There will be contests with cash prizes for the largest (heaviest) tomato, ugliest tomato worm and “Freaks of the Vine” contest. Bring in your most bizarre tomato to see if it is this year’s “Freak of the Vine.” Bring your entries for these contests to The Old Train Depot before 3 p.m.
If you love to cook or bake, there will be a tomato baking contest with two categories, sweet and savory. Your item must contain a tomato. Items will be judged at 1 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded. Contest food items will be sold immediately following the judging.
Returning this year will be a cherry tomato spitting contest to be held at 2:30 p.m. in Brower Park.
Educational speakers include Ethan Moore, who will give a presentation on “Exotic Tomatoes.” He will share his expertise from 10:45 to 11:15 a.m. The second speaker will be Daniel Kurdziel presenting the program “Unique Historical Bridges in Indiana.” Daniel will begin at 12:30 p.m. Both educational presentations will be held in Brower Park in the speaker tent.
The entertainment schedule includes: on the main stage, Cumberland Gap performance times 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Mikey and Katie from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m and again from 2:45 to 4 p.m. Performing on Market Street next to Brower Park will be Class Act Troupe beginning at 11 a.m. Belles and Beaus Square Dancing will entertain from 1 to 2 p.m. Also, the Whitko High School Band will be performing patriotic music from 2:15 to 2:45 p.m. Performers portraying George Washington and Uncle Sam will be found entertaining people throughout the park, according to the release. Harpist Anna Hagen will also be performing in the park. You will find her near the vendor booths.
Activities for children will be found in Brower Park. Mrs. Kate will provide two shows in the pavilion in the park. The first will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the second will be at 2 p.m. There will be free kids games and activities.
Special addition to the tomato festival this year will be the Classic Car and Motorcycle Show which was scheduled to take place during Pierceton Days. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate in July, and will be held during the Tomato Festival this year. The car show will be on West Market Street near First Baptist Church. Registration will be from noon to 4 p.m. Awards ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. For more information concerning the car show, contact the Pierceton Days committee at 574-265-6126.
Before you leave Pierceton, be sure to peruse the shops and restaurants in town. Many will be having specials during the Tomato Festival.
The festival committee thanks sponsors Camden Foundation Technologies, Townsend & Sons, Hankins & Boggs Group Reynolds Wealth, Cottage Watchman Security Systems, Magnum Piering, Hartley Builders, Himes & Krull, M & D Electrical, R & G Automotive, Lake City Bank, Lexlil, W.R. Hall Insurance, Second Fiddle, Pierceton Heritage Association, Homespun House, Taproot Brewhouse, Old Train Depot, 3863 Venue, Sweetheimer Trash Removal and Pierceton Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, please visit Piercetonchamber.org, or follow them on Facebook at Heirloom Tomato Festival.
