Get ready Spokane: The South Perry Farmer's Market, located in the parking lot of The Shop, 924 S. Perry every Thursday from 3:00-7:00pm, is hosting the Tomato Festival tomorrow.

(Full disclosure: This blogger is on the SPFM board.)

There will be cooking demonstrations, a tomato contest and kids activities. Sadly, not a chance to throw a tomato at me but thanks for asking. That will happen at La Tomatina.

Check the press release below:

On August 19, from 3-8 pm, the South Perry Farmers’ Market will host its first annual Thursday Market Tomato Festival, held at The Shop, 924 South Perry in the South Perry Business District. The event will feature tomato-focused cooking demonstrations and recipes by South Perry Pizza chef Chris Deitz, a tomato ‘beauty pageant’ contest open to all, and activities for kids.
 
Chef Deitz of the neighborhood pizzeria will provide a series of demonstrations throughout the market day for easy home-preparation recipes celebrating the beginning of the tomato season in the Inland Northwest. Recipes, which will include a tomato sauce as well as a bruccetta plate, will focus on ways to preserve tomatoes, giving the community tools to eat local tomatoes year-round.
 
The tomato contest, open to all entries free of cost, will award prizes to tomatoes judged in four separate categories: best flavor, prettiest, biggest and ugliest tomatoes. Participants are welcome to place multiple entries. The contest will be judged by a team of ‘tomato experts’, including a farmer and several community members. The weekly kids’ booth at the Market Info Table will feature ‘Mr. Tomato Head’ tomato decorating activities.

Beyond featuring tomatoes, the August 19 market will run for an extra hour (the market normally runs until 7 pm), to 8 pm, and will feature approximately 23 local farms and craftspeople. A broad variety of local produce, farm raised meats and eggs, artisan bread, chocolates, pastries, granola, soaps, preserves and jams, jewelry as well as eggs and honey are all available. Oven fired pizza is baked on size, and many organically grown products are available, as well as gluten free baked goods. Located in the parking lot of the Shop café, fresh coffee drinks, sandwiches, ice cream, locally roasted whole bean coffee and much more are available.  
 
The market is held every Thursday from June 3 to October 28 in the parking lot in front of The Shop from 3-7 pm. Live music is featured every week. Credit, Debit and EBT cards are gladly accepted. Participating market vendors also accept WIC and Senior Famers’ Market Nutrition Program vouchers. The market seeks to make available fresh, healthy, locally grown food and locally crafted products to the South Perry neighborhood and the broader Spokane community. The market intends to serve as a resource to the community offering affordable and high quality products while giving small farmers and local artisans a venue to sustain their enterprise and support their quality of life.
 
The South Perry Farmers’ Market is celebrating its 5th season in the neighborhood in 2010 and is taking many steps to continue to contribute to the strength of community in and around the Perry District. Volunteer opportunities are available to community members interested in supporting the outreach efforts of the market. Those interested in volunteering can call or email Manager MaryAnn Delaney or visit market staff at the info booth during market day.
 
Those interested can keep up with the Market at www.thursdaymarket.org or by visiting our facebook page (listed as the South Perry Farmers’ Market).
 
Thursday Market is the weekly marketplace provided by the South Perry Farmers Market at The Shop, 924 South Perry St. The South Perry Farmers’ Market was founded in 2006 and seeks to provide a community focused marketplace in the heart of the South Perry neighborhood that promotes and practices social, economic, and environmental sustainability. SPFM is directly supported by Vinegar Flats Community Garden, the Emmanuel Family Life Center, the South Perry Business and Neighborhood Association, the Spokane County Farmers’ Market Association and is a member of the Washington State Farmers’ Market Association.
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If you would like more information about Thursday Market and the South Perry Farmers’ Market, please contact Board President Brian Estes at (509) 521.0606 or Market Manager MaryAnn Delaney at (509) 879.1826. Both can be reached at southperryfm@gmail.com

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