Heirloom Tomato Festival

08/27/2025

Any and everything tomato could be found at Pierceton's 18th annual Heirloom Tomato Festival Saturday, Aug. 23.

08/26/2025

🎉 Congratulations to our 2025 Tomato Festival Contest Winners! 🎉

A big thank-you to everyone who entered and joined the fun this year. 🍅✨

🏆 Agricultural Art Show

Judged: Sally Reuter – Indian Corn

People’s Choice: Kate “Jes” DuBois – Fence Chattin

🪡 Tomato Quilt Raffle – Sheila Ronk

🍅 Largest Tomato Contest – Mike Walther, 2 lbs 11.2 oz

🐛 Big, Bad & Ugly Hornworm Contest – Sara McClanahan & Ethan Moore

🍅 Freaks of the Vine (Oddest Tomato) – Danielle Cress

🔍 Golden Tomato Scavenger Hunt – Chelsea Sturgess

🍒 Cherry Tomato Spitting Contest

Age 15+ → 1st: Joel Osborn (26’3”), 2nd: Luke Esser

Age 5–10 → 1st: Maverick Smith, 2nd: Kabreya Wevano

💐 Tomatoes on Display – LeAnn (the bride-to-be 💍)

🥧 Tomato Baking Contest

Sweet: 1st Delores Kirkham, 2nd Jean Baughman

Savory: 1st Danielle Cress, 2nd Sarah Politano

👏 Thank you for making this year’s festival such a joyful celebration of tomatoes, creativity, and community. Until next year! 🍅❤️

08/25/2025

👏 A big round of applause for everyone who joined the 2025 Heirloom Tomato 5K Run/Walk in Pierceton! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🍅

From our top finishers to every runner and walker who crossed the line, you helped kick off the festival with amazing energy. ❤️ Here are the full results:

2025 Heirloom Tomato 5K Run/Walk
📍 Pierceton, IN
📅 Saturday, August 23, 2025

🏆 Overall Female Winner
Katharine Kenny, 33 — 30:03.58

🏆 Overall Male Winner
Andrew Kenny, 38 — 19:30.03

👟 Male 13–19
🥇 Hayden Dick, 19 — 20:48.51
🥈 Wyatt Sponseller, 17 — 23:37.67

👟 Female 20–29
🥇 Alexa Zawadzke, 28 — 53:23.02
🥈 Joplin Druck, 29 — 53:26.88

👟 Male 20–29
🥇 Cameron Jagger, 23 — 20:01.83
🥈 James Bone, 29 — 27:42.01

👟 Female 30–39
🥇 Meghan Martin-Ramsey, 37 — 32:04.16

👟 Male 30–39
🥇 Matthew Ackerman, 37 — 21:05.00
🥈 Nathan Herman, 38 — 36:02.95

👟 Female 40–49
🥇 Sarah Little, 49 — 38:01.46
🥈 *Kelly Basalo, 46 — 1:00:34.55

👟 Male 40–49
🥇 Thomas Lowe, 45 — 20:38.80
🥈 Anthony David, 45 — 22:10.85
🥉 William McFarland, 45 — 23:50.80
— Bryan Chaney, 41 — 24:14.34
— Eric Sheetz, 40 — 26:16.77
— Brandon Monticue, 45 — 35:51.61
— Alexander Houze, 47 — 37:10.12

👟 Female 50–59
🥇 Cindi Dellett, 59 — 33:33.42
🥈 Robyn Stump, 54 — 35:26.42

👟 Male 50–59
🥇 Thomas Truong, 50 — 20:26.32
🥈 Tim Wion, 57 — 24:47.03
🥉 Shane Newsome, 50 — 27:03.50
— *Jonathan Bailey, 50 — 1:28.36

👟 Female 60–69
🥇 Diane Ackerman, 64 — 39:56.76
🥈 *Elizabeth Wegmann, 67 — 1:31.52
🥉 *Kyle Zanker, 68 — 1:34.57

👟 Male 60–69
🥇 Craig Miller, 62 — 21:38.95
🥈 Jay Prichard, 68 — 28:58.75
🥉 *Ed Erickson, 63 — 1:28.32

👟 Female 70+
🥇 *Cathy Swartz, 71 — 1:35.18

👟 Male 70+
🥇 Richard Ackerman, 71 — 32:16.08
🥈 Nou Phouleuanghong, 74 — 52:19.11

(* = took a wrong turn and ran more than 3.1 miles!)

🎉 Thank you to everyone who ran, walked, cheered, and volunteered — you made this year’s 5K a success!

🍅

08/24/2025

08/22/2025

🌟 Tomorrow’s the Big Day! 🌟

⏰ The countdown is ON — just 1 more day until Pierceton bursts into tomato-filled celebration! 🍅🎶🎨

👉 The Heirloom Tomato Festival happens TOMORROW, Saturday, Aug. 23 from 10 AM – 4 PM in Brower Park.

Come for the tomatoes, stay for the:
🎶 Live music all day
🐛 Fun contests & games
🎨 Art, vendors, and local history
🍴 Delicious food & plenty of tomatoes

📅 Here’s the full schedule so you can plan your day ⬇️
We can’t wait to see you in Pierceton! ❤️

08/21/2025

Win This Beautiful Handmade Quilt!

🧵💐 Don’t miss your chance to win this lovely 55" x 70" quilt, handmade and generously donated by local quilter Aleta Baker Smith! It’s the perfect keepsake to remember this year’s Heirloom Tomato Festival.

🎟️ Raffle Tickets:
$1 each or 6 for $5
Available at:
🪑 Second Fiddle (where the quilt is currently on display!)
🎁 Kelly Jo's
👐 Mort’s Chiropractic Clinic
🏡 Homespun House
🏛️ Pierceton Town Clerk’s Office

🎉 Drawing at 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 23
📍 At the festival in Pierceton
💰 Proceeds help support future Tomato Festivals!

Wrap up summer with something cozy—and maybe take home a piece of Pierceton tradition. ❤️

08/20/2025

🌟 Sponsor Spotlight 🌟

We couldn’t bring the Heirloom Tomato Festival to life without the incredible support of our sponsors.

From our premier backers to local businesses and friends of the festival, your contributions keep this tradition thriving. 🍅❤️

💛 Together, we are truly Building Community Together. 💛

🙏 Please join us in thanking them — your support helps keep this tradition alive!

08/18/2025

🚶‍♀️ Walk through Pierceton’s past and discover its hidden stories!

At 11:00 AM on Saturday, Aug. 23, join Pierceton native and historian Joan Hostetler (The Indiana Album) for an unforgettable guided tour of our historic downtown during the Heirloom Tomato Festival.

You’ll:
🏛 Stroll past beautifully preserved Italianate buildings from the late 1800s
🔥 Hear the dramatic story of the 1895 fire that destroyed half the commercial district
🍅 Learn why tomatoes and antiques are woven into Pierceton’s identity
📷 See where our history still lives — and maybe even help preserve it!

Where to meet: Information booth on the west side of The Old Train Depot
Length: About 1 hour
Cost: Suggested $10 donation (benefits the Whitko Community Digital Image Project, preserving historical photos & documents)
Group size: Limited to the first 25 people — Reserve now: [email protected]

💡 Hostetler will be available before and after the tour to chat about Pierceton history and scan your local or Indiana-related photos for the archive — a “scan-a-thon” for preserving our past!

📌 Don’t wait — the tour sold out last year!

08/15/2025

🍅❤️ Small Town. Big Heart. ❤️🍅
From our historic streets to our hometown celebrations, Pierceton knows how to throw a festival you’ll never forget! This year’s Heirloom Tomato Festival is all about celebrating our roots — the people, places, and stories that make our town unique.

👣 History Walking Tour
Step back in time and explore Pierceton’s rich history with local historian Joan Hostetler of The Indiana Album.
📅 Saturday, August 23 at 11:00 AM
📍 Departs from the Information Booth (west side of The Old Train Depot)
🕒 About 1 hour — limited to the first 25 participants
💵 Suggested $10 donation (benefits the Whitko Community Digital Image Project)
💌 Reserve your spot by emailing [email protected] — pay on the day of the tour.

You’ll hear colorful tales from the 1850s onward, see beautifully preserved Italianate buildings, learn about the great 1895 fire, and discover why tomatoes and antiques are such a big part of Pierceton’s story.

🎨 Local Heritage in Art
Celebrate agricultural and small-town life at the Agricultural Art Show in the Old Train Depot — a tribute to our community’s creativity and heritage.

🤝 Celebrating Our Local Sponsors
We couldn’t do it without them! Many of your favorite shops, restaurants, and organizations are helping bring the festival to life.

📍 Pierceton, Indiana
🗓 Saturday, August 23

08/13/2025

🍅 What’s YOUR favorite part of the Heirloom Tomato Festival? Tell us below! 👇
From tomato tastings and live music to the Scavenger Hunt and cherry tomato spitting — there’s something for everyone at this year’s festival!

📅 Saturday, August 23
📍 Downtown Pierceton – Brower Park & Old Train Depot
⏰ 10am–4pm (5K starts at 9am)

🎶 Live music • 🏃 5K Run/Walk • 🎨 Art Show • 🎤 Speakers
🍅 Contests • 🧺 Vendors • 🍨 Ice Cream • 🍞 Sourdough Talk • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Kids Area

📸 Check out the full schedule in the flyer below ⬇

08/11/2025

Agricultural Art Show
🎨 From fields to canvas, creativity takes root at the Heirloom Tomato Festival!

Come explore the Agricultural Art Show inside the historic Old Train Depot — where local artists celebrate the spirit of the land through all forms of media.

🖼️ Open to all ages and artistic styles
🌱 Artwork must reflect an agricultural theme
💰 $5 entry | Age divisions: Youth & Adult
📍 Drop off entries: Friday, August 22 from 4–8 PM at The Old Train Depot

🗳️ Two ways to win:
🏅 Juried prizes awarded by judges based on creativity, originality, and overall composition
👥 People’s Choice Award voted on by festivalgoers during the event
🏆 Winners announced at 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 23

Whether you're an artist or an admirer, don’t miss this vibrant showcase of homegrown talent!

08/08/2025

Music, Makers & More! 🎶
Get ready to fill your day with rhythm, creativity, and community spirit at the Heirloom Tomato Festival on Saturday, August 23 in Pierceton, Indiana! 🌞🎻🎨

🎤 Live on Stage:
🎶 Cumberland Gap – 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM
🎶 Josh Elam – 12:45 PM to 1:45 PM
🎶 Mike & Katie – 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

🪕 In the Pavilion:
🎵 Mrs. Kate returns with her fun, tomato-themed children’s songs!
🕦 Catch her at 11:30 AM and again at 2:00 PM.

💃 On the Street (Near the Depot):
Class Act Troupe brings high energy with local youth dancers at 11:00 AM.

🎤 In the Speaker Tent:
🐝 Dave Shenefield of Clover Blossom Honey — Indiana’s largest commercial beekeeper — shares his expertise on honeybees from 10:30–11:00 AM
🍞 Maia Ross presents "What’s Up with the Rise of Sourdough?" from 12:00–12:30 PM
🎨 Karen Welsh leads hands-on Botanical Printing from 1:30–2:30 PM

Whether you’re dancing in the street, tapping your toes by the stage, or learning something new in the speaker tent — there's something for everyone to enjoy.

📍 Pierceton, Indiana
📅 Saturday, August 23
🕘 Festivities begin at 9:00 AM