French Market Creole Tomato Festival

New Orleans, LA

Website: http://www.frenchmarket.org/2012-creole-tomato-festival/

June in New Orleans means the arrival of Creole Tomato dishes on local restaurant menus, in farmers markets, and at roadside stands. Typically the crop arrives in early June, which is why the French Market's Creole Tomato Festival is always held the second weekend of that month.

The Creole Tomato Festival is beloved by locals and visitors alike for its quaint and quirky traditions, such as life size tomatoes strolling the grounds handing out tomato shaped fans, and the auctioning off of the first tomatoes of the season to local chefs. For the past few years, the festival has combined forces with the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival and the Louisiana Seafood Festival to stretch the festival to eight blocks of live music, food booths, cooking demos, arts and crafts, and children's activities. Shrimp season coincides with Creole Tomato season, so it's a perfect recipe for delicious summer fun to feature fresh seafood and fresh produce in dishes, seminars, and in "making groceries" at the historic French Market.

The Creole Tomato Festival is an ideal way to spend a summer weekend in New Orleans and this year will be better than ever!

The French Market District is a place where fresh history is made daily in an ever-festive French Quarter environment. Stretching six blocks along the Mississippi River from the Shops at the Upper Pontalba on Jackson Square to the Flea Market across from the Old U.S. Mint, the district contains over 25 retail shops; indoor/outdoor dining options with cafes, restaurants, and farmers market eateries; public art, fountains, scenic walkways, and surprises at every corner.