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The Tomato Festival At The Royal Botanic Garden Is This Weekend

Love Tomatoes? This Festival Is For You
Young Girl(5-6) biting into cherry tomato, smiling, garden in background,Food and Drink, Food, Freshness, Nature, Vegetable, cherry tomato, tomato
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Young Girl(5-6) biting into cherry tomato, smiling, garden in background,Food and Drink, Food, Freshness, Nature, Vegetable, cherry tomato, tomato

You say tom-ay-to, I say tom-ah-to -- whichever way you say it, if you love all things red and saucy then this weekend's Tomato Festival at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney is calling your name.

Botanically a fruit (but classified as a berry, just to confuse you), there are over 10,000 types of tomatoes and they are enjoyed around the world in salads, pastas, sandwiches and pizza -- so why shouldn't we celebrate this versatile fruit disguised as a vegetable?

The free two-day festival celebrates the sweet tomato in all its forms -- from fresh to pickled to preserved, the Tomato Festival features workshops, children’s activities, master classes and talks.

“The Festival Village will again be the epicentre of action, with a range of celebrated Australian producers featuring local and heirloom produce for sale, tomato tasting, themed guided walks, plant sales and more,” said Kim Ellis, Executive Director of the Botanic Gardens & Centennial Parklands.

There’s even competitions for the biggest, best homegrown tomato and the tastiest homemade relish and chutney, passata and chilli sauce.

“The festival is a great way for us to showcase all the great growing techniques but, more importantly, address seed conservation and environmental issues in an imaginative and accessible way,” executive director of the Botanic Gardens & Centennial Parklands Kim Ellis said.

The festival runs from Saturday Feb. 20 to Sunday Feb. 21 from 10am to 4pm.

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