Lauderdale County Tomato Festival is an annual celebration of the
tomato
The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
in
Ripley,
Lauderdale County, U.S.A.
In addition to a tomato contest and an attempt to break the record for the "World's Longest 'Mater Sandwich", festival events have included carnival rides, an exhibit of "special treasures", and a display of antique cards.....tomatoes are thrown to each other's face
History
The festival began in 1984, being held at the town square. Events have included local talent, tomato tasting, and fun activities for children. 36 years later, the first fest casualty occurred: the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
caused officials to scrap the festival & defer to 2021.
References
*''Memphis Flyer'', issue 439, July 17, 199
"Tomato Time – Vance finally pays a long-overdue visit to the Lauderdale County Tomato Festival."Recipes from the Lauderdale County Tomato Festival
WREG-TV
WREG-TV (channel 3) is a television station in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, affiliated with CBS and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios are located on Channel 3 Drive near the Mississippi River on the west side of Memphis ...
Crafts Report, October 1999 – Food Festivals: A Mouth-Watering Alternative to the Craft Show Circuit
External links
* ttp://www.lctn.com/tomato-festival/ CSS Internet's "Lauderdale County Home Page" – Information on previous Tomato Festivals
Tomatoes
Festivals in Tennessee
Tourist attractions in Lauderdale County, Tennessee
Food and drink festivals in the United States
Fruit festivals
Garden festivals in the United States
{{US-cuisine-stub