Fort Scott Tomato Festival July 17

By Jason E. Silvers

Herald - Tribune

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Tomatoes are ripe and in season and will be the focus of the second annual Tomato Festival scheduled to take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 17, at Skubitz Plaza near the Fort Scott National Historic Site.

A variety of activities are slated to be part of the event, which is conducted by the Fort Scott Farmer's Market Association. Activities include a tomato tasting and judging event, a cooking demonstration, and live music, among others. Logan McGear, the executive chef of The Buffalo Grill and guest chef for the event, will give a cooking demonstration and provide free food samples. Attendees will not only be able to taste tomatoes but also vote for their favorite tomato during an on-site contest.

The event will also include several activities for children, knife sharpening demonstrations given by experts, and a fundraiser for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bourbon County organization. Farmer's Market vendors will also be on hand during the event to offer a wide selection of summer produce such as tomatoes, corn, green beans, onions, new potatoes, cabbage, beets, chard, carrots, garlic, herbs, peaches, blackberries, summer squash, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, honey, jellies, meats, and eggs. Homemade crafts and other items will also be available for sale at the event.

The Fort Scott Farmer's Market, which is sponsored, organized and conducted by the Fort Scott Farmer's Market Association, offers local residents fresh produce, baked goods, all-natural food products, and other items. The hours and days in which the market operates changed this year in order to be more accommodating to customers. The market now operates from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, and from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays through October at Skubitz Plaza.

For more information, contact Mary Corpstein, Farmer's Market Association member, at (620) 857-4190, or Randy Gregg, the chairman of the Farmer's Market Association, at (620) 547-2159.