The tomato arrived in America in the late 1700’s along with many myths surrounding it. Did you know that early Americans thought tomatoes were poisonous? Fortunately for all of us, more than 250 years later, adventurous gardeners like Thomas Jefferson helped the tomato gain popularity. Though botanically a fruit, the Supreme Court ruled the tomato a vegetable in 1893. The import tax placed on vegetables (but not fruits) protected U.S. tomato growers at that time from foreign markets.
The Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival, sponsored by Heartland Bank and organized by the Reynoldsburg Visitors Bureau, opens for its 51st consecutive year, Friday, August 19 from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. at Huber Park on Davidson Drive in Reynoldsburg. The event brings together community organizations, businesses and area residents to celebrate the City of Reynoldsburg as the birthplace of the commercial tomato. The Festival continues on Saturday, August 20, from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
“The Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival Committee and the City of Reynoldsburg are so very grateful for the wonderful working relationship that we have with Heartland Bank, and are extremely proud to be able to have Heartland as our presenting sponsor of the 2016 Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival,” said Mary Hudson of the Reynoldsburg Visitors Bureau.
Highlights of the festival weekend include the following: Musical performances by Kid Vig, McGuffey Lane, VCC Blues Band, McCloud & Friends, Perfect Timing and Ambush; family entertainment, cruise-in car show, children’s games and inflatables, tomato contests, Tomato Queen contest, beer garden, Shriner Clowns, spaghetti eating contest, demonstrations by the Truro Township Fire Department and the famous Pizza Taste Off.
Stop by the Tomato Festival and “ketchup” with Heartland Bank’s Reynoldsburg branch manager Brent Carroll. Just like there are thousands of varieties of tomatoes and millions of ways to prepare them, there are also lots of opportunities awaiting you at Heartland Bank. Stop in and let us show you how we can cook up a financial strategy for you! For a complete schedule of events, entertainment and activities, see www.ReynoldsburgTomatoFestival.org.