MECHANICSVILLE, Va. — The 48th annual Hanover Tomato Festival wrapped up Saturday at Pole Green Park in Hanover County, bringing together live entertainment, nearly 100 vendors, tomato-themed contests and tomato-inspired food over two days — all free to attend.
New this year, Hanover Fire and EMS brought its fire education trailer to the festival for the first time.
"The biggest message for today is have fun, stay safe, hydrate and come see us to learn more about fire safety," Capt. Caleb Wilson, the public information officer for Hanover Fire and EMS, said.
Wilson said the trailer, which the department put into service this spring, is designed to reach people of all ages.
"We've had a lot of advancements in the props and the demonstrations that we can offer to cover every age group from the toddler all the way up to those in their senior years to really promote fire safety education and safety education overall," Wilson said.
The trailer allows the department to bring interactive demonstrations directly to the public — at community events, church fairs and schools.
"The biggest thing is spreading the word of fire safety, home safety and just safety in general. This trailer allows us to come to those locations," Wilson said. "We can come to events like this like the Hanover County Tomato Festival, but also we can come to the church fairs, community fairs, schools and really bring this interactive demonstration trailer out to the public."
Wilson said the department enjoyed its first appearance at the festival.
"This is our first big notable event of Tomato Festival and we certainly have had a great time with all the folks and we enjoy spreading the word of fire safety," Wilson said.
Entertainment
Friday's Main Stage featured performances by The Fifes and Drums of Yorktown and Gone Country Band, with DJ music by Random Play Productions. The Children's Stage hosted Silly Bus Music, Jonathan the Juggler and DJ sets throughout the evening.
Saturday's Main Stage headliner was Love Story: The Unofficial Taylor Swift Tribute Band, which performed at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Tomato-themed contests with prizes kicked off at 11 a.m. The Children's Stage featured 804 Dance Place, Drew Dunbar, Silly Bus Music and Barefoot Puppet Theater.
Food and vendors
Festivalgoers enjoyed tomato-inspired dishes including tomato basil cupcakes, spicy Thai Hanover tomato salad, lobster BLTs and chicken salad stuffed tomatoes, alongside traditional favorites like bundt cakes, kettle corn and ice cream.
Local vendors offered fresh produce, honey, tea, desserts and pet treats, while artisans showcased handcrafted jewelry, candles, hand-stitched journals, leather goods and more.
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