Bradley County Pink Tomato Committee held its first general meeting Thursday to begin preparations for this year’s festival.
The festival will begin June 3 with pageants at the Hermitage Community Center and continue the next week with a variety of activities.
Kenna Sparks is the festival chairwoman, with Keeton Hudson as vice chairman.
Top photo: Bradley County Pink Tomato Committee met Thursday. Shown, from left, are Vice Chairman Keeton Hudson, Brooke Hatch, Nora Pacheco, Princella Davis, Terrie White, Estephany Roman, Carlos Yepes and Norma Yepes. Photo by Tim Kessler.
Attending the meeting were Hudson, Terrie White, Nora Pacheco, Estephany Roman, Princella Davis, Brooke Hatch, Denisa Pennington, Carlos Yepes and Tim Kessler.
Hudson said an all-committee meeting will be held March 16.
Roman will be in charge of the parade.
A Tour D’Tomato bike event will be held prior to the festival on May 20. Chairman is Randy Rawls.
Yepes will chair the Hispanic Gala to be held on June 10.
A sponsor is needed for the Cutest Baby Contest, which provides scholarships for the pageants.
The All-Tomato Luncheon will be held on June 10 sponsored by Bradley County Extension Homemakers.
A T-shirt contest has concluded and the winner will be announced soon.
The Steak Cookoff will be chaired by Shelly Ashcraft and Nora Pacheco.
Princella Davis said she was attending the meeting to get ideas for the first Bradley County Reunion to be held Aug. 11-12 at the fairgrounds. The group hopes to raise money to restore Mount Holly AME Church which was on the state historic register.
Pennington said last year’s T-shirts will be on sale at local banks and other locations soon. They are $10 for most sizes and $15 for plus sizes.
Vendors will be asked to include some tomato-based products in their booths.