Pictured is a display from the 2021 festival. Photo provided by Sheila Ronk.

News Release

PIERCETON — The annual Heirloom Tomato Festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 27, in Brower Park and the Old Train Depot, both located in downtown Pierceton.

The festival will begin with a 5K Run/Walk with registration from 8–8:40 a.m. with the run/walk starting at 9 a.m. Registration fee is $25. The race will begin and end at Brower Park.

There will be a Golden Tomato Scavenger Hunt Saturday at the festival in Pierceton. Photo provided by Sheila Ronk.

Many activities are planned throughout the day, which include an Heirloom Tomato and Vegetable Exhibit, Heirloom Tomato Tastings, kids activity area, arts and crafts booths, farmers market, weaving demonstration, Tomato Sandwich Social, a chainsaw carving demonstration and food vendors including home-made ice cream.

The featured speakers will be Brad Clayton and “Tomato Jim” Wyant. They will be speaking inside The Old Train Depot with Brad providing talks at 10:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Jim will speak at 
1:30 p.m.

Author Richard Rose will also be available in the Question and Answer Booth from 
noon to 1 p.m. He has written several novels such as “The Satyr Candidate”, “The Lazarus Conspiracies”, “The Gumshoe” and his most current title “Retribution.” Rose also wrote “Comic Crusaders,” which is an adventure/fantasy screenplay written in book form.

The Agricultural Art Show is also being held during the festival. Bring your agriculture-related art between 4-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, to the Taproot Brewhouse and Company, 130 N. First St. (SR 13), Pierceton. All media is accepted, and there will be two separate categories judged: Adult and Youth. There is no limit on the number of entries or size of art. There will be a $5 fee per entry. Cash prizes will be awarded including a “People’s Choice Award.” Artwork will be displayed during the Heirloom Tomato Festival with winners announced at 3:30 p.m.

Participants are also invited to bring their baked goods — which must have a tomato as an ingredient — for the Heirloom Tomato Baking Contest. This contest will be held in the Old Train Depot. Judging will be at 1 p.m., and prizes will be awarded.

The Big, Bad and Ugly Tomato Worm Contest invites contestants to bring in their ugliest tomato worm. This contest will be located inside the Old Train Depot. Festival attendees are also invited to bring in their heaviest tomato for the Largest (Heaviest) Tomato Contest, which will also be held in the Old Train Depot.

New this year is the Find the Golden Tomato Scavenger Hunt. Those interested should stop by the Information Booth in Brower Park to begin their journey to find the Golden Tomato. All who complete the hunt will be entered into a drawing for $250.

Live entertainment will be featured during the day on the main stage in Brower Park. Performing will be “Cadence” from 10-11:30 a.m., Deb Collier’s Dance Troupe from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Josh T. from 12:15-2 p.m. and Matt Fawcett from 2:15-3:45 p.m.

Special demonstrations include Lonnie Glines with a chainsaw carving demonstration, Merle and Suzanne Miller “Pumpernickel Pewter” artists and Lisa Truman with a weaving demonstration. All demonstrations will be in Brower Park.

More information can be found at www.piercetonchamber.com or the Heirloom Tomato Festival page on Facebook.