First-ever Brooklet Tomato Festival brings competition, food and family fun

by Shakuria Smith

BROOKLET, Ga. (WTOC) - Giant tomatoes, celebrity judges and plenty of South Georgia charm are coming to Brooklet this month as Strickland Farms prepares to host the community’s first Tomato Festival.

The inaugural event will take place Saturday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Strickland Farms Garden, located at 5639 Brooklet Denmark Road.

Held beneath the farm’s pecan trees, organizers say the festival will celebrate local agriculture, family entertainment and friendly competition while marking the grand opening of Strickland Farms’ Pick Your Own Produce Fields and the start of the Watersville Station Farmers Market season.

One of the festival’s biggest attractions will be the Tomato Contest, where local growers can compete for prizes in four categories:

Biggest Tomato
Best Tasting Tomato
Ugliest (Most Unusual) Tomato
Overall Best Tomato

Contest entries will be judged by local celebrity judges, giving attendees a chance to watch the competition unfold firsthand.

Beyond the tomato showdown, visitors can enjoy live music, food trucks, local vendors, games, fresh produce displays and opportunities to explore the farm’s pick-your-own produce fields.

Organizers say the event is expected to draw visitors from across Southeast Georgia and offer a showcase of rural Georgia’s farming heritage and community spirit.

Media interviews will be available with event organizers, participating growers, vendors and representatives from Watersville Station Farmers Market and Strickland Farms.

For contest registration and additional event information, organizers encourage visitors to check the festival website here.