The Weekendist: Why Did The Tomato Blush?* Edition

TGIF, Nashville. We’ll be spending our weekend celebrating the tomato alongside a few thousand other Nashvillians. East Nashville’s Tomato Art Fest is one of the annual highlights of our summer, and we highly recommend that you check it out. There’s something for everyone, even the tomato-hating half of your Nashvillest team.

Tomato Art Fest. Saturday, August 13 in East Nashville’s Five Points, 9am-6pm (music runs ’till 9:30pm), free. It seems that this year’s Tomato Art Fest will be one for the history books. Why? Because we can’t EVER remember temperatures being in the 80′s for the fest before. It’s usually a sweltering, heat-stroke-inducing sort of affair, and we’re giddy at the thought of not passing out in the Art & Invention Gallery. Not that we’ve done that before or anything. Anyway, the Tomato Art Fest deserves way more attention than just a spot in the Weekendist, and if we were less lazy (and had less demanding day jobs) we would have waxed poetic about the fruity fest for the past few weeks. The tomato parade kicks off at 9am, and it’s the kind of parade that anyone can just join right in. Tomato (or any) costumes are highly encouraged, as are handheld instruments. A bunch of tomatoes sets the stage for the rest of the day, which will be full of live music on two different stages, costume contests and other fun for the kids, a cornhole tournament, bobbing for tomatoes, tomato specials at a bunch of local restaurants, lots of art, a wet burrito contest (get hosed down while racing to eat a burrito! FUN!) and our favorite, the Bloody Mary competition. It’s probably the weirdest, most fun day of the year in Five Points, and that’s really saying something.

Nashville Rollergirls vs. The Carolina Rollergirls. Saturday, August 13 at Municipal Auditorium, 5:30pm, $10 in advance or $15 at the door, $7 for kids 7-12, 6 & under free. If you haven’t made it to a roller derby bout yet this year, now’s the time. It’s the Rollergirls’ second to last home appearance of the season, and they’re playing the undefeated Carolina Rollergirls on the home turf. As always, it’s a double header. More bang for your buck! Two games for the price of one!

Second Saturday Outdoor Cinema: Wargames. Saturday, August 13 at the Belcourt Theatre, 7:40pm, free. The Belcourt’s Saturday night parking lot screening of Wargames is the third installment in their Second Saturday series (say that ten times fast). It’s also a Belcourt membership appreciation party, so members get a free hot dog and beer – yep, we said free beer – and of course, the movie is free for everyone. Bring a cushion, thick blanket or low-sitting chair to sit on unless you like the feel of gravel in your behind.

Williamson County Fair. Last day is Saturday, August 13 at 4215 Long Lane. $6 adults, $3 kids ages 6-12, under 6 free. In the mood for a good old fashioned county fair this weekend? Head south to the closing weekend of the Williamson County Fair. You’ll find loads of competitions, live music, rides, fireworks, a petting zoo, clowns, and don’t forget the fried oreos! Just do us a favor and skip the fried sticks of butter, okay?

Photo by YanivG.

*Because he saw the salad dressing.