The annual Tomato Festival in Columbia will celebrate 20 years when the free event returns to the University of Missouri’s Jefferson Farm and Garden, 4800 New Haven Road, from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 4.
Since its first harvest in 2005, the festival has grown from a modest tomato tasting into a signature event showcasing more than 150 tomato varieties, peppers, ground cherries and more, said Tim Reinbott, MU Extension director of field operations.
The all-ages event includes cooking demonstrations, salsa tastings, kids’ activities, educational talks, and tours of the tomato patch. Reinbott said attendees can get practical tips from the field on the importance of cover crops, why calcium nitrate is key to sweetness and how to win the war against tomato hornworms. For more information, visit https://muext.us/TomatoFestival2025.
PHOTO: A child in a garden with tomatoes. (Adobe Stock │ #338325350 – yanadjan)
