By Susan Winlow | Daily Republic | August 15, 2009
Dale Applegate, left, and Elmer Nemeth inspect a box of Early Goliath Heirloom tomatoes duirng the Tomato Festival in downtown Fairfield. Photo by Mike Greener
FAIRFIELD - With the smell of competition barbecue wafting from the west side of downtown and Tomato Alley set up on the corner of Jefferson and Texas streets, it was hard to miss the Tomato Festival's annual arrival.
This is the festival's 18th year and the sixth year it has been held in conjunction with the West Coast BBQ Championships, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. And the crowds came as soon as the festival opened at 10 a.m. on Saturday -- many trying to beat the heat.
There was plenty to see for everyone, from the 200 varieties of tomatoes, to the vendor booths selling everything from food to bank loans to Mary Kay Cosmetics to purses and jewelry. And don't forget the music and tomato-eating contest.
'It seems as if it's gotten bigger,' said Harold McSwayn, a Fairfield resident who was perusing the goods in the Tomato Alley tent with Lois Adair of Concord. 'There's lots more things to do here.'
One of those things that is a hit annually is looking at and tasting the different varieties of tomatoes such as the white Snowball, the orange-colored Dad's Sunset or the red San Francisco Fog. The tomatoes are all colors, all sizes with a multitude of strange names -- Bull's Heart stays fresh in the mind, which yes, could easily look like a bull's heart in size, color and shape.
'The thing that interests me is the variety . . . some look like oranges,' said McSwayn, who has made the festival a yearly event for about five years.
Leaving the Tomato Alley tent with a large box of various tomatoes were Mike and Melody Colbert who made a special trip to Fairfield from Morgan Hill. Melody Colbert was gathering firm tomatoes to make fresh bruschetta.
'I grow my own (tomatoes) at home but not that many varieties,' she said, pointing behind her at the tent.
Tomatoes might be the star of the show but they aren't the only act in town. Approximately 38 barbecue teams, include Harry Soo and Mark Tung from Slap Yo Daddy BBQ, battled for top barbecue honors.
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