Why are tomatoes worth celebrating? Well, according to Holly Laird, Executive Director of the Regina Farmers’ Market, they are a symbol of Saskatchewan farmers and their efforts.
As with any farmers’ market, the collective highlights local people and the products they create, only the Tomato Festival took a niche approach to a specific community: tomato lovers.
“It’s one of the most exciting crops we have at the farmers’ market. You can get tomatoes year-round here in Canada, but they are not the famous ones that are grown locally and ripen in the sun. It was a way to celebrate the beginning of our tomato season and also to shine a light on our farmers who grow these amazing products.”
In 2023, Laird first pitched the idea of the Tomato Festival when the original farmers’ market had to relocate. She thought it was the perfect opportunity to take a twist on the classic event and develop something for a whole new community.
Inspired by her own love of tomatoes, Laird was curious to see just how many others shared in her interest. And as it turns out, there is a large fan base for tomatoes in Saskatchewan.
“The first year we weren’t sure, and we even had vendors who were questioning it, but we’ve proven it now. It gets bigger every year and people are definitely into it, so we picked the right one,” laughed Laird.
The proof is in the numbers, as Laird shared that 12,000 people attended this year alone.
But the festival is more than just tomatoes.
Over the years it has expanded and now features a petting zoo, classic outdoor games such as potato sack racing and cornhole, in addition to local Saskatchewan musicians. Although at its core, the tomato shines as lead inspiration for vendors, as they offer more than just produce for purchase.
“A lot of the vendors have begun following the [tomato] theme as well. There are tomato tarts or cupcakes decorated to look like tomatoes. People can buy tomato artwork…and we’ve had guests even start dressing up in tomato-themed clothing. Everyone is there just to have a good time.”
The festival is free to attend for all those interested, which is why funding partners are key to continuing the annual event.
“We like to bring in extra activities for folks just to help fill out the event and that is where we are super grateful for our partners like Sask Lotteries,” said Laird. “Having the funding from Sask Lotteries was so appreciated. It helped us to bring in some Saskatchewan musicians to play some bluegrass for us. There was a lot of people sitting out there enjoying the music and enjoying the beautiful morning in Saskatchewan.”
