Friday and Saturday will see the oldest festival in Arkansas add another notch to their long running history with the 68th annual Pink Tomato Festival in Warren.
Even in 2020, when most other festivals were forced to take a hiatus due to covid, Warren and the Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival kept their festival going with a boiled-down, miniature version of the annual event.
Friday’s schedule for the Pink Tomato Festival includes the opening of arts and crafts on Myrtle and Cedar Streets, carnival rides, a quilt-show in the YMCA, local talent performing on the Courthouse Square, a cutest baby contest, the annual tomato packing contest, “Great Bowls of Fire” salsa contest, food vendors and evening music on the main stage.
Nashville based singer/songwriter Erin Gibney with “Midnight South” will take the Ryburn Ford Stage from 8-10 p.m. Among Gibney’s popular releases are “Kryptonite,” ‘Exit Signs,” “Naïve,” “You Made Your Bed,” “Easy Like That” and “Single at the Same Time.”
Saturday marks the culmination of festivities with a full day of family activities and entertainment. Events kick off at 7:30 a.m. with the PTF 5K run. The day includes a pie eating contest in the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, a steak cooking contest lining the length of Main Street, a bicycle decorating contest, and the continuation of food vendors, arts and crafts and quilt show.
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The parade launches at 10 a.m. winding its way through the city streets.
The tomato eating contest convenes on the Courthouse Square at 10:45 a.m. This proves one of the largest crowd draws of the weekend where numerous local and state politicians take a seat on the dais to pit their skills at consuming as many raw, whole tomatoes as possible in a limited time. To take the crown of top tomato eater, the normally dignified public figures chomp down on the ripe fruit, leaving tomato juice smeared across and dripping from their hands and faces. Previous year’s contestants included senators, congressmen and governors.
The annual Tomato Luncheon will be held at 12:30 p.m. in the First Baptist Church Activities Center. The menu includes an array of tomato themed dishes. This year’s luncheon won’t feature a keynote speaker but will give officials the opportunity to say a few words to the gathering.
The afternoon also hosts the Little Miss Pink Tomato Beauty Pageant in the high school auditorium at 2:30 p.m.
Live music begins 6:30 p.m. on the Ryburn Motors Main Stage with Ward Davis followed by Tyler Farr from 8:30-10 p.m. After leaving Sony Music Nashville, Farr was the first artist signed to Jason Aldean’s Night Train Records in 2019. His record titles include 2013’s “Redneck Crazy” and 2015’s “Suffer in Peace” along with a 2023 EP, “Rednecks Like Me.”
First State Bank of Warren, Hermitage and Hampton will sponsor a grand finale fireworks display immediately following the concert.
“We Invite everybody to come enjoy a good time with lots of activities for folks of all ages,” Warren Mayor Greg Reep said. “The weather promises to be fantastic, a little hot maybe but we’re used to that. It’s a fun time for us and an annual homecoming for a lot of people who have moved away from here. We look forward to seeing everyone, so come take it all in and stay for the great line up of musical entertainment scheduled each evening.”
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
FRIDAY
9 a.m.-6 p.m.: Arts & Crafts
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Quilt Show
10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Local Talent on the Square
4:45-5:45 p.m.: Tomato Packing Contest
5 pm.-until: Cutest Baby Contest
6-6:30 p.m.: “Great Bowls of Fire” Salsa Contest
8-10 p.m. DJ Jam-A-Lot
8-10 p.m. Erin Gibney & Midnight South
SATURDAY
7:30 a.m.: PTF 5K Run
7:30-9 a.m.: Pie Eating Contest
8:30-9 a.m.: Bike Decorating Contest
9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Arts & Crafts
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Quilt Show
10 a.m. Festival Parade
10:45 a.m. Tomato Eating Contest
11:30 a.m. and 2-5 p.m.: Local Talent on the Square
12:30 p.m.: Tomato Luncheon
1-2 pm.: Comedy & Magic by Derrick Rose on the Square
2:30 p.m.: Little Miss Pink Tomato Contest
5 p.m.: Steak Cookoff Awards
6:30-8 p.m.: Distingui2
6:30-8 p.m.: Ward Davis
8:30-10 p.m.: Tyler Farr