Two-Day Tomato Art Fest Kicks Off Tonight in East Nashville

A perennial winner of Best Festival in the Scene’s Best of Nashville Readers’ Poll, the Tomato Art Fest dates back eons to the year 2004, when East Nashville’s hip and quirky sense of community wasn’t a nationally known phenomenon. Attracting some 60,000 people last year, the Tomato Art Fest (centered mostly around the Five Points area of East Nashville) offers a parade, an art show, hordes of vendors selling food, art and curiosities, tons of contests and much more. It’s the kind of festival with a bounty of activities for kids (including a free project to build — and eat — a giant ice cream sundae), but also lots of fun for grown-ups, like a Bloody Mary competition and a solid music lineup.

Tonight, the night before the festival, a kickoff concert at 7 p.m. features Athens, Ga.’s Futurebirds and locals Becca Mancari and Waterfall Wash.

Saturday’s fest runs 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and in addition to all the various activities (visit the festival site for a full rundown), there will be music on two stages. Standouts include Okey Dokey, Skyway Man and Queens of Noise (a Runaways tribute band made up of teenage musicians) on the 37206 Stage, and Daddy Issues, Jon Latham and a special surprise guest on the Woodland Stage.

If you've ever gone, you know the Tomato Art Fest is the ripe red, sun-scented heart of East Nashville's summer revelry. I you've never gone — vine not?