Annual One-of-a-Kind Tomato Arts Festival Returns to the 5 Points Neighborhood

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Solaren PR Team | Aug. 11, 2020 | For Immediate Release

Annual One-of-a-Kind Tomato Arts Fest Returns to the 5 Points Neighborhood

It’s no secret that 2020 has been a whirlwind of a year. COVID-19 has caused the world to apply the phrase “a new normal” to almost all aspects of our lives. Schools, doctor’s offices, restaurants, concerts, and everywhere in between have had to figure out what their new normal is and how to function in this new world of social distancing.

Here in Nashville, the Tomato Arts Festival, which may have never been considered “normal” in the first place, was no exception. The annual one-of-a-kind Tomato Arts Fest returned to the 5 Points neighborhood, but of course looked a little different than past years. The festival normally draws tens of thousands of attendees to the streets of 5 Points to celebrate the tomato. Events include an art show, a bloody mary contest, Faux Paw Pet Fashion Show, and more. This year, the festival boasted many of the same activities, and added a few as well, but almost all of them were held virtually. Participants were encouraged to upload pictures to Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #TAF2020 to participate in the pet fashion show, kids coloring contest, family sidewalk chalk competition, and other fun events. Vendors that normally line the streets during the festival also went virtual so shoppers could still purchase their favorite tomato-y products.

One of the biggest events of the Tomato Arts Fest each year is the parade.

One of the biggest events of the Tomato Arts Fest each year is the parade. Marching bands, local organizations, tomato themed floats, and festival goers in wacky costumes march through the streets of East Nashville with families sprawling their front lawns, sidewalks, and adjacent streets to watch the parade pass by. This year, to comply with social distancing, the parade was moved to a porch parade. With Solaren Risk Management trucks leading the way, tomato covered cars, antique cars and trucks, and a trailer holding a band and MC, drove the parade route waving to families, some in tomato costumes, standing in front of decorated houses and lawns.

Solaren Flagger Allie, who drove one of the vehicles in the parade said,

“It was so fun to see how many people still wanted to participate in the event, and showed up to watch the parade, even though it was so much different than the past years.”

With everything going on in 2020, it is easy to let the chaos and our differences divide us. Here at Solaren, we were so glad to be able to be a part of an event that reminds us to always be like a Tomato– A Uniter, Not A Divider. We are already looking forward to next year’s event, whether it’s the new normal or the old normal!

“Safety aware, because we care.”