20th Year of Tomato Art Fest Brings Stage Time to Nashville-Based Songwriters

[Local festival celebrates East Nashville culture]

The annual two-day Tomato Art Fest will return August 11-12, gathering the East Nashville community around local music and art at Five Points. This year, the 20th anniversary, the free festival is packed full of events, contests, concerts, shopping, and parties that are sure to entertain your family or adult brunch group. The live music lineup was released per Instagram on Tuesday and is filled entirely with local songwriters that will be playing both days amid the activities.

This year’s lineup was mostly decided by an entertainment application where bands were asked to provide videos of their previous performances. Tuesday morning reposts filled Nashville’s Instagram stream with news of the entertainment lineup drop.

Link to Tomato Art Fest post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtMSa3irL7d/

“We’re ripe with excitement to announce we’ll be playing @tomatoartfest on Saturday, Aug. 12th,” said Iguanahead.

Instagram post link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtMh_xhOe_i/

“Willie Pearl is honored to be playing at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 12, at 5:00 p.m., come say hey!” Willie Pearl posted.

Instagram post link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtMY_HnONTB/

The festival was started in 2004 by Meg and Bret MacFadyen, owners of the Art & Invention Gallery. Since then, the lineups have featured some of Nashville’s top songwriters early in their careers. “Past lineups have included Margo Price, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Todd Snider, the Whigs, and so many others over the years!” (per Tomato Art Fest website)

This year’s set up will feature three stages around the tents of activities, art, and tomatodressed costume contest competitors.

Live music is scheduled:

Friday, August 11: 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Saturday, August 12: 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Other events include a Bloody Mary Garden Party, a tomato-themed costume contest, a cornhole tournament, and even a home decorating contest to involve the neighborhood. The kickoff event is a PreView on the evening of August 10 with drinks, art, and music. The Art Show will begin in-person and virtually Friday at noon and will continue throughout the festival.

The lineup times can be found here: https://www.tomatoartfest.com/entertainment

The entire list of events can be found here: https://www.tomatoartfest.com/events