Nashville foodies! We’re back with a preview of August’s best food and drink events, starting with one of the biggest festivals of the year: the annual Tomato Art Fest, an homage to the humble red produce that our gardens overflow with this time of year. It’s a fruit, but it’s also kind of a vegetable! It’s a uniter, not a divider! Most importantly, it’s a time for our whole community to come together — which is what food should be all about.
🍅 Tomato Art Fest — August 9-10
Attend and you’ll get an artistic homage to the tomato as a cultural staple, as well as a sample of the art and music East Nashville has to offer. It’s the biggest event in the neighborhood: Tomato Art Fest will take over Five Points with live music, food and drink, tomato-themed art, events, and contests. If you’re not attending — although why wouldn’t you be? — maybe avoid Five Points for the weekend … you’ve been warned.
👀 Some Event Highlights
Friday-Sunday | 12-5 p.m. | Tomato Art Show
- You can even buy tomato art online!
Saturday | 7:30-8:30 a.m. | East Nashville Tomato 5K
- Register here if you’re one of those people that likes 5Ks!
Saturday | 9-10 a.m. | Tomato Art Fest “Push, Pull, and Wear” Parade
- You can sign up your group to walk in the parade here.
Saturday | 10:45-11 a.m. | Tomato Art Fest Haiku Contest
- Get writing and enter by August 9! Send your name and submission to tomatohaikucontest@gmail.com.
Friday-Saturday | 5-7 p.m. | Live Music
- Some of East Nashville’s favorite artists will be playing at the main stage in the Beyond the Edge parking lot from open to close. Check out the lineup here.
🏝️ Music City Jerk Festival — August 17
Hit up the Music City Walk of Fame Park from 1-7 p.m. to enjoy this annual Jamaican and Caribbean food festival. You can either attend for free and purchase food from vendors or buy tickets in advance for yourself or your family to purchase limited menu items with VIP treatment. Advance tickets range from $15.71 for individual entry to $49.87 for a family pack. Enjoy authentic food, live music, activities, and craft vendors with the whole family.
🍺 Music City Brewer’s Festival — August 24
Check out this annual beer festival to sample some local, regional, and international breweries. Your admission includes a special souvenir cup and 40+ tastings, plus live entertainment, food trucks, and activities. It’s not just beer, either — you can also sample seltzers, spirits, ciders, and alcohol alternatives. The event benefits the Nashville Humane Association, which is pretty cool.
🎟️ You Should Actually Buy Tickets in Advance
- You should probably get tickets for this one because you won’t be able to buy them at the door if they sell out in advance.
- You can get a GA ticket for $54.10 to enter at 5 p.m., or shell out some extra cash for the VIP experience and an early 4 p.m. arrival for $93.29.
- Fear not, designated drivers — you can get your ticket at a discount at $25.28, so you can attend without drinking.
🍉 Watermelon Festival — August 24
The Nashville Farmers’ Market is hosting a free festival for all watermelon lovers. There will be tastings, produce specials, and food trucks to enjoy. Come sample some watermelon chow from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
