Homegrown Tomato Fest returns to the Kingsport Farmers Market

The Kingsport Farmers Market is celebrating National Farmers Market Week (August 3-9) by bringing back a popular event – the Homegrown Tomato Fest – now in its 21st year.
The event will take place at the farmers market (308 Clinchfield Street) on August 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Activities taking place during the event include:

• Kids’ decorating tables (decorate your own tomato or use our red plate replacement).
• Live music starting at 9 a.m.
• Peak Young Professionals will make free tomato sandwiches at 10 a.m. (while supplies last).
• Tomato contest for biggest, ugliest and best dressed (drop off tomatoes by 9 a.m.; winner will be announced at 11:30 a.m.

The Homegrown Tomato Fest will also feature a Salsa Showdown, where the public will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite salsa. The winner will receive a blue ribbon, some Kingsport Farmers Market swag and plenty of bragging rights.
The Salsa Showdown is open to anyone, all salsa must be homemade, and tomatoes must be used. Contestants must supply a minimum of one quart of salsa and limit three entries per household. Entries must be turned in by 9 a.m. and winners will be announced at 11:30 a.m.
National Farmers Market Week is an annual celebration of farmers markets coordinated by the Farmers Market Coalition – a nonprofit organization that supports farmers markets nationwide through training, technical assistance, and network-building.
The Kingsport Farmers Market is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, please visit kingsportfarmersmarket.org.
 
 
About the Kingsport Farmers Market
The Kingsport Farmers Market, part of the City of Kingsport, manages the weekly markets at the Kingsport Farmers Market facility. The Kingsport Farmers Market’s mission is to provide a vibrant, diverse market place for local and regional farmers and artisans to sell their products to the Kingsport community. For more information, please visit www.kingsportfarmersmarket.org.
About the City of Kingsport
Founded in 1917, the City of Kingsport (pop. 55,400) is located on the Tennessee-Virginia border at the crossroads of I-81 and I-26 near the geographic center of the eastern United States. The city is widely known as a planned community, designed by renowned city planner John Nolen and wrapping around the foot of Bays Mountain – a 3,750-acre park, nature preserve, planetarium and observatory. Kingsport is recognized as an International Safe Community by the National Safety Council, a Healthier Tennessee community, and won the 2009 Harvard Innovations in American Government Award for its higher education initiatives. While many city names are duplicated throughout the U.S., there’s only one Kingsport – a fact that invokes community pride, known locally as the “Kingsport Spirit.” For more information, please visit www.kingsporttn.gov.