Sustainable Midlands: Bringing Great Taste to Everyone!

Time for a tasty celebration! On Saturday, August 11, from 1 to 7 p.m., Sustainable Midlands—a champion of the region’s sustainable food efforts and festival founder—will host its ninth annual Palmetto Tasty Tomato Festival at City Roots Urban Farm, located at 1005 Airport Boulevard, in Columbia. Tasty Tomato is a family-friendly event that offers a variety of fun for all ages. Festival highlights include live music, rides and activities for kids, local food vendors and more.

    The festival includes two live music stages—a main stage and a farm stage. This year, the farm stage will feature groups that have been described as “traditional with an avant-garde twist.” The groups playing on this stage are Two for the Road, featuring Jim Graddick; Parker’s Back; and Slap Wore Out. Musicians performing on the main stage will be announced in the coming weeks. Those interested are urged to check the Sustainable Midlands Facebook page regularly for the full lineup of musical acts.          Interested in learning more about the wonderful tomato? This year’s festival will also include a “learning” stage, where folks can gather and “nerd out” on tomato growing, storing, preparing and eating. Informational topics will include heirlooms, organic practices, and container gardening. In addition, the children’s area has been revamped with more rides and activities for all ages.

    As always, the festival will provide many opportunities to enjoy great food and craft beer. One popular festival event is the tomato-tasting tent, where guests can drop by and sample a wide variety of tomatoes. Those that grow their own tomatoes can register to enter the Tasty Tomato Contest. Participation details can be found on the website (TastyTomatoFestival.com). The prize winners in eight judged categories will be announced during the festival.

    The festival aims to gather the Midlands community together in a fun, family-friendly setting while celebrating the great taste of local fresh food. Proceeds from the festival support Sustainable Midlands’ efforts to heal watersheds around the Midlands; encourage responsible and inclusive development; and contribute to a vibrant local, livable economy.

     The Tasty Tomato Festival is the largest local food event in the Midlands area. The list of supporting sponsors to date includes organizations and businesses such as Palmetto Pride, Jake’s on Devine, and Creel Family Law. Sponsorships are still available; for more information, contact Jason at [email protected].

     Tickets cost $10 in advance and $15 at the gate, and will be available at ticket presale outlets starting this month. These outlets include Jake’s on Devine, Gardener’s Outpost, and Rosewood Market and Deli.  Sustainable Midlands is also offering $5 off the ticket price the day of the event to each person that rides a bike to the festival.

For more information and festival updates, call 803-470-4302, email [email protected] or visit TastyTomatoFestival.com. Also follow Sustainable Midlands on Facebook at Facebook.com/TastyTomatoFest.