Great fun at 2012 EastMont Tomato Festival

“It’s unique, good, wholesome, community family fun, really.”

– Joe Chasse, The Roanoke Times, Sunday, August 19, 2012, about the EastMont Tomato Festival in Shawsville, Virginia.

Click here to read full article.

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Thanks to all of the volunteers, sponsors, vendors and attendees who made the fifth annual EastMont Tomato Festival the best yet!

Click here for photo slideshow of the festival.

Held Saturday, August 18, 2012 at The Meadowbrook Center in scenic Shawsville, Virginia, the day was filled with live music, TomatOlympics games for the kids, tasty tomato foods, a Tomato Pageant for folks of all ages and stages.

Festival proceeds benefitted the Karen Cronin Legacy Fund that supports gardening and beautification projects in eastern Montgomery County.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 EastMont Tomato Festival Pageant:

• Cherry Tomato Baby: Summer Lynn Norwood, Christiansburg
• Tomato Prince: Seth Richmeier of Blacksburg
• Tomato Princess: Emily Hemphill of Elliston
• Heirloom Tomato Queen: Brenda Pearman of Salem

We look forward to seeing everyone next year on the third Saturday of August 2013!

Get a taste for the 2012 EastMont Tomato Festival

The 2012 EastMont Tomato Festival is Saturday, August 18, 10 am to 4 pm at The Meadowbrook Center in beautiful Shawsville, Virginia.

Proceeds from the 2012 EastMont Tomato Festival will go to the Karen Cronin Legacy Fund that supports gardening and beautification projects in eastern Montgomery County.

We are now accepting applications from artists, craftspeople, farmers, nonprofits, for-profits and other vendors who wish to have a booth  in the festival.

Click here to download the vendor application.

The festival also features a variety of tomato contests including best-tasting, biggest and funniest-looking, and tomato recipes (salsa, spaghetti sauce and ketchup). Click here to download the contest application.

Does your love for tomatoes go beyond food? Compete in the EastMont Tomato Pageant for Heirloom Tomato Royalty (men and women, ages 40 and up), Tomato Prince and Princess (ages 4-39), and Cherry Tomato Baby (up to 3 years old).  For the Heirloom, Prince and Princess categories, the talent portion of the pageant must have a tomato theme.

There will also be a judged Tomato Art Contest with cash prizes. The entry form can be downloaded here.

The 2009 Heirloom Tomato Queen, Karen Cronin (right), crowns the 2010 Cherry Tomato Baby.

THE EASTMONT TOMATO FESTIVAL IS FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! DON’T MISS OUT ON THE ALWAYS POPULAR TOMATOLYMPICS!

Interested in volunteering? Contact Michael Hemphill at 540-556-2879 or michael@eastmontva.com.

Interested in being a sponsor? Contact Terry Ellen Carter at tec@terryellencarter.com.

We hope to see you at the festival!

Retired Virginia Senator Madison Marye handles a beautiful tomato.

Thank you for your interest in the 2012 EastMont Tomato Festival!