The Big, the Bad and the Ugly contest for tomato worms is one of the many contests at Pierceton’s 2025 Heirloom Tomato Festival. Photos provided by Sheila Ronk.

News Release

PIERCETON — The 18th Annual Heirloom Tomato Festival will be held in Brower Park in downtown Pierceton on Saturday, Aug. 23.

Many contests are being planned with cash prizes for the winners.

Starting at 10 a.m., a scavenger hunt will begin. Pick up your hunt papers, find the answers (and the hidden Golden Tomato) and return the completed form back to the information booth in Brower Park. All correctly completed forms will be collected and one drawn for a $250 cash prize.

The tomato baking contest will be held at 1 p.m. in the Old Train Depot. Two categories of baked goods will be judged: Sweet and Savory. The first prize of each category will win $50. The second prize will win $25.

For more information and the specific rules, please go to piercetonchamber.com.

Are you growing tomatoes this season? There are several more contests which may interest you. Bring in your largest tomato to be weighed. The heaviest tomato wins.

The Biggest Heirloom Tomato contest is another of the festival’s contests.

The Big, the Bad and the Ugly contest is for the largest tomato worm. Bring in your tomato worm to see if yours is the worst.

New this year is Freaks of the Vine contest. This contest is for the weird, lumpy or bizarre-shaped tomato.

These tomato contests will each award a $10 prize. Bring your tomatoes and worms to the Old Train Depot anytime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The judging of these contests will be at 3 p.m.

New this year will be a cherry tomato spitting contest. If you want to impress us with your skills of tomato spitting, we will begin at 2:30 p.m. The contest will be held on the north side of the railroad tracks behind the last vendor in Brower Park. Prizes will be awarded for longest spitting distance in each age category.

There will also be an Agricultural Art Show this year. Bring in your art piece that must have an agricultural theme. All art mediums accepted.

Bring your art to the Old Train Depot from 4-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22. There’s no limit on the number of entries. There will be a $5 entry fee per piece.

Cash prizes will be awarded including a People’s Choice! Winners will be announced at 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information and entry forms, visit piercetonchamber.com or follow us on Facebook at Heirloom Tomato Festival.