The Tomato Art Fest is the event that most captures what Nashville actually is underneath the tourist-facing Broadway gloss — unapologetically weird, genuinely local, and completely free.

Over 60,000 people show up across two days in Five Points, East Nashville to celebrate a vegetable — with tomato-themed art, tomato costumes, a tomato parade, haiku contests, and 100+ vendor booths selling everything from tomato paintings to tomato-red accessories. Local restaurants create special tomato menu items for the weekend. Live music stages run throughout. It’s family-friendly, dog-friendly, and it’s been running for 20 years because Nashville keeps showing up for it.

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What Actually Happens at Tomato Art Fest

The festival takes over the Five Points intersection — the heart of East Nashville at Woodland, Clearwater, and Greenwood — and radiates out through the surrounding streets and businesses. Here’s what you’ll find:

• The Tomato Parade — the Saturday highlight. Costumes are expected. Tomato-red is the dress code. Position yourself early along the parade route to get a good spot.
• 100+ vendor booths — local artists, makers, food vendors, and artisans selling tomato-themed and East Nashville-made goods.
• Live music stages — local Nashville acts performing throughout both days.
• Tomato haiku contest — exactly what it sounds like. Submissions welcome.
• Best Dressed Tomato contest — bring your most creative tomato costume.
• Special tomato menus — East Nashville restaurants and bars create tomato-themed food and drink specials for the weekend. This is genuinely worth exploring.
• Art installations and gallery shows — East Nashville’s galleries participate with tomato-themed exhibitions.

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Why Tomato Art Fest Is Worth Going To

If you’ve spent time on Broadway and want to understand what Nashville’s culture looks like when it’s not performing for visitors, Tomato Art Fest is where you go. The Five Points area is Nashville’s creative district at its most unfiltered — small bars, local acts, genuine neighborhood energy, no tourist crush.

East Nashville has been genuinely cool for twenty years, and Tomato Art Fest is the annual proof of it. The weirdness is the point. The tomato costumes are the point. The fact that 60,000 people show up every year to celebrate a vegetable is exactly the point.

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Parking for Tomato Art Fest

East Nashville is primarily street parking — the festival area doesn’t have a large centralized garage. Your options:

• Arrive early — before 10am Saturday for the best street spots near Five Points
• Park on side streets — one or two blocks off the main festival area often has available parking, especially Sunday morning
• Book through SpotHero — compare available lots and garages near Five Points and lock in your rate before festival-day walk-up pricing kicks in
• Rideshare in — Uber and Lyft are your best bet if you want to avoid the parking situation entirely. Drop off near Five Points and walk in.

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What to Bring

• 👕A tomato costume or red clothing. You don’t have to dress up, but you’ll feel more at home if you do. The Best Dressed Tomato contest is real and competitive.
• 💧Water. August in Nashville is hot and humid. Hydration is non-negotiable for a full day at an outdoor festival.
• ☀️Sunscreen. Five Points is an outdoor street festival. There’s limited shade. Apply before you leave home.
• 💳Cash and card. Most vendors accept cards but cash speeds up transactions at busy booths.
• 🐕Your dog. Tomato Art Fest is explicitly dog-friendly. Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome throughout.
• 📍A meeting point. The festival gets crowded and cell service can slow down. Pick a physical meeting spot with your group before you split up.

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Where to Eat and Drink in East Nashville During Fest Weekend

East Nashville’s restaurant and bar scene is the best reason to arrive early and stay late. The Five Points area has some of the most interesting independent food and drink in Nashville, and during Tomato Art Fest weekend, many spots run special tomato-themed menus worth seeking out.

For your morning coffee before the festival, see our Nashville coffee shop guide — East Nashville has several of the best in the city including Barista Parlor and The Horn.

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Where to Stay for Tomato Art Fest Weekend

Staying in East Nashville puts you steps from the festival with zero parking stress. A VRBO in the Five Points or Lockeland Springs area is the ideal base — walk to the festival, walk home, no rideshare needed.

Browse East Nashville VRBOs for Tomato Art Fest weekend →

If you prefer a hotel, downtown Nashville puts you 10–15 minutes by rideshare. Browse Nashville hotels here →

Event details, schedules, and vendor lineups are subject to change. Always verify current information at tomatoartfest.com before your visit. This post contains affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.