“Although it’s a farmers’ market at its heart, we’re trying to bring the community together in a fun way over the long weekend,” said Holly Laird, executive director of the Regina Farmers’ Market.
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With tomato season now underway, the Regina Farmers’ Market (RFM) is hosting an inaugural festival designed to showcase local growers and vendors.
“Everything that’s sold in our market is made, baked and grown in Saskatchewan,” said RFM executive director Holly Laird in an interview Thursday. “So (the festival) came together as a great way to celebrate our producers.”
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Because the Queen City Ex will take up the market’s usual spot at Confederation Park this weekend, the RFM’s “First Annual Tomato Festival” will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens on the legislative grounds instead. The temporary move inspired market organizers to create something extra special for families to enjoy while shopping for local goods.
“Although it’s a farmers’ market at its heart, we’re trying to bring the community together in a fun way over the long weekend,” explained Laird.
The free festival will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Not only will there be more than 50 local vendors, but families will have the chance to participate in a variety activities like potato sack races, cornhole and horseshoe games, as well as a petting zoo, courtesy of Fenek Farms.
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Textile artist and weaver Leslie Charlton of Ful Fibres says the country fair spin on the market will make for an especially enjoyable time.
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“The market is always fun,” said Charlton, who has been selling her work there for the last four years. “But having other things like the music, the petting zoo and the tomato contest will make it especially fun.”
The lifelong sewist took it upon herself to adorn household textile items with hand-printed tomatoes, that will be for sale come Saturday.
“I tend to do a lot of fruits and veggies because I really think they’re pretty,” she said. “But this is the first time I’ve actually ever done tomatoes, so the festival got me really excited.”
A stage will also be set up where live bluegrass music will be played by Regina’s own Queensbury Breakdowns and The Better Halves.
But, the festival’s main attraction is the tomato contest with judges Josh Miller of MasterChef Canada Season 6 and Ashley Stone of Open Farm Days Saskatchewan on the panel along with Laird and RFM board members.
Categories include best homegrown tomato, ugliest tomato, prettiest tomato, and tiniest tomato (a nod to the slow start of the growing season).
Open categories will be voted on by festival visitors, while best overall categories will be determined by the panel of judges based on taste, texture and appearance.
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Registration to enter a tomato into the contest is still open through the RFM’s website. Entries are to be dropped off at the RFM information booth by 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Judging for best overall categories and results from patron votes will take place at 1 p.m.
Prizes include $100 in “market money,” RFM T-shirts and prize ribbons.
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