WARREN, Ark. – Planning for the 66th annual Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival started Thursday with a meeting at Bradley County Economic Development Corp.
Brooke Hatch will be this year’s chairwoman. Other officers are 1st Vice Chairwoman Kenna Sparks, 2nd Vice Chairman Keeton Hudson, Treasurer Leslie Adams, Past Chairman James Wells and committee members Gwen Sledge, Jimmy Sledge and JeNelle Lipton.
Chairs of various events include: entertainment, Jimmy and Gwen Sledge; contributions, JeNelle Lipton; square vendors, James Wells; All-Tomato Luncheon, Judy Simmons; 5K race, Randy Rawls; information booth, Brooke Hatch; Little Miss Pink Tomato Pageant, JeNelle Lipton and Glenda Cross; and steak cook-off, Keeton Hudson.
The Tour De Tomato Bike Event will be postponed until later this year. It is expected to be back on the Pink Tomato schedule next year.
There will be a main stage and secondary stage. Announcements on main performers will be made later.
Y10 Studio will sponsor Hispanic activities.
The main weekend of the festival will be June 10-11. Some events will also be held earlier that week.
Among changes are the Warren Lions Club Gospel Jamboree will be held on Thursday, June 9, at Warren Cultural Center. As it did last year, it will again feature The Lisemby Family.
The All-Tomato Luncheon will return after an absence last year. With the exception of Little Miss Pink Tomato, which will be held in Warren, all pageants will be held in Hermitage.
Other events returning are the Johnson’s Entertainment carnival, fireworks, parade, tomato-eating and tomato-packing contests, salsa contest, cutest baby contest and 5K race/walk.
The T-shirt contest winner is still to be determined.
The committee will next meet at 5:15 p.m. March 31 at BCEDC.
Top photo: Bradley County Pink Tomato Executive Committee members, from left, are 2nd Vice Chairman Keeton Hudson, Chamber of Commerce Part-time Director Terrie White, Treasurer Leslie Adams, Chairwoman Brooke Hatch and Past Chairman James Wells. Not pictured is 1st Vice Chairwoman Kenna Sparks and committee members Gwen and Jimmy Sledge and JeNelle Lipton. Photo by Tim Kessler.
