The tomato — a uniter, not a divider 🍅 That's the (to)motto of the 18th annual Tomato Art Fest, which returns to East Nashville’s historic Five Points district this weekend.

As the story goes, the Tomato Art Fest has been uniting fruits and vegetables since its first event in 2004 + has been known to draw more than 65,000 people to the Five Points area.

So dust off your tomato costume and get your marching boots on because we’ve got your quick guide to Tomato Art Fest right here. ⬇️

The festival

The free family-friendly event celebrating all things tomatoes kicks off tomorrow (Fri., Aug. 13) at 5 p.m. and continues on Saturday. Festival goers can expect a parade, over 200 vendors, artwork, recipe and costume contests + other tomato-themed activities.

The festival also has a jam-packed live music schedule both days featuring Aaron Lee Tasjan, Cedric Burnside, a jamboree, and more. Stages will be located at 11th and Clearview, 11th and Fatherland, and 11th and Woodland.

Navigating the event

Festival organizers have created an official app to help attendees keep track of daily activities + a map to find hotspots like concert stages, the parade route, and the Bloody Mary garden party.

If you live in the area or if you’re planning to drive to the festival, several streets will be closed to traffic with detours in place. Street parking will be available in select areas, but walking, biking, or utilizing ride-share services is recommended.

COVID-19 guidelines

As of Thursday, masks are not required to attend the festival, but organizers are asking all non-vaccinated attendees to wear them. Masks will be available for free at the entry gates, information tent, and first aid tents + hand sanitizer stations can be found throughout the area. Vanderbilt University Medical Center will have a vaccine clinic set up on Russell Street.