With a weekend-long schedule of high-energy live music happening on three stages, a Creole tomato eating contest, food booths manned by top culinary talents, a Bloody Mary Market, and cooking demonstrations, there’s plenty of tomato-centric action to keep grownups entertained at the French Market, June 10—11. But with artists, crafters, and educators also on the schedule, the Creole Tomato Festival offers action to keep younger visitors creatively engaged, too.
• ArtCamp504 is a local non-profit committed to delivering high-quality art education for students of all income levels. They’ll be on-site with Fabulous Festival Flair, inspiring kids to transform themselves into swamp creatures or elegant butterflies with handmade animal masks, wild hair clips, and creative clothing pins.
• New Orleans crafts maven The Button Lady will present a button making station where participants will color Creole tomato designs before pressing them into a button.
• Local handmade clothier/apron maker Adorne Me Antoinette will show kids how to create a Creole tomato second line hanky.
• Stem NOLA will host a program of STEM-based learning activities with an emphasis on inspiring kids to better understand the connections between agriculture and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math)-based learning.
• An on-site LSU AgCenter tent will share facts and growing tips for Creole tomatoes and other Louisiana-raised produce.
• At 10am on Saturday June 10, the traditional Ripe & Ready Second Line will roll, marching from Oscar Dunne Park to the Market’s main festival site.
• For added sparkle, there’ll be a Pixie Dust Biodegradable Glitter Face Paint station on-site, too.
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Tomato-themed hanky art at the Creole Tomato Festival
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Creole Tomato Fest Fun
So … a weekend’s worth of live music, tomato-inspired cuisine, cooking demos, Bloody Marys, second lines, and creative kids’ activities, all set against a bumper crop of ripe, red Creole tomatoes in the oldest open-air marketplace. Sounds like summertime in New Orleans. Mark your calendars for June 10—11! frenchmarket.org/creoletomatofest/
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