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16 & 17 February 2019

Tomato Festival Sydney 2019

Join us at the Tomato Festival Sydney to celebrate the juicy red fruit.

The award-winning festival returns for a sixth year on 16 and 17 February 2019 at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. New elements have been added to the festival and all the favourites are coming back with a brand new theme - celebrating the magic of seeds.
 
As the days lengthen and summer fruit and veggies start to ripen it can only mean one thing –  tomatoes!!! And the Tomato Festival Sydney! 

When

Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 February 2019

Price

Free entry - some ticketed events

Where

Throughout the Garden

Transport

Public transport recommended. Limited parking available
The Diggers Heirloom Tomato Taste Test, Longest Tomato Lunch, mandala, Cooking & Learning Hub, children’s activities, live music and DJ will all be back to transform the foreshore lawns of the Garden into a fun and delicious harbourside food festival. The Cooking & Learning Hub will be full of interesting gardening talks and cooking demonstrations with tasty bush food, easy seasonal recipes, hot tips on growing and more. The mobile cooking pod generously sponsored by Electrolux.
 
Award-winning chef Luca Ciano will be back with another mouth-watering menu for the Longest Tomato Lunch. The Diggers Club has been busy sourcing growers for the tomato taste test and our stall holders are honing their skills making olive oils, condiments, sauces, breads, churning butter and putting their thinking caps on for more tomato inspired food and drinks. Costa Georgiadis returning as the Festival Ambassador.

Now is the time to start preparing your entry for best homegrown tomato, the field is wide open so get ready and don’t miss out!
 
We look forward to seeing you at the Festival and around the Garden! 
 

DOWNLOAD THE FULL PROGRAM

 

Special events

Masterclass with Paul West
SOLD OUT! Grow, Cook, Eat - a Masterclass with Paul West from River Cottage Australia on 16 February 2018, 10.30 am - 2.30 pm. Brought to you by the Diggers Club.
 
SOLD OUT
Tomato Festival Sydney - Plants with Bite at Night
Join us for an exclusive late night at the Festival for the cult classic Return of the Killer Tomatoes! Not just the film screening but a whole night of entertainment – live music, food, drinks, DJ and more.
Book now
Longest Tomato Lunch
Tickets are sold out!

Enter our competition

Best in show application
Taste is key to a delicious tomato other aspects are important too. The following points in no particular order, will be taken into consideration when exhibits are judged: Colour, Smell, Flavour, Texture, Overall appearance and Weight (for exhibits in ‘heaviest’ category).
Enter now

Meet the producers

NEW in 2019! Handsome Devils Co are pioneering a new path in quality hot sauce and pickles. Their products are all natural and all about flavour.

NEW in 2019! Paella La Flamenca: A passion for cooking the perfect paella came from their family tradition of paella always prepared religiously as the family meal for lunch on a Sunday,

NEW in 2019! Nomad Spices are a specialty spices merchant and committed to bringing you absolute freshness when it comes to their range of global spice blends.

NEW in 2019: Berkelo produces breads and pastries made with unbleached 100% Australian stoneground flours and the very best in Certified Sustainable and Organic ingredients.

NEW in 2019! Carol Molloy, former My Kitchen Rules contestant - cooking up a range of tomato inspired dishes influenced by her Japanese-Australian heritage.

NEW in 2019! Tall Grass Cane Guice: Fresh cold-pressed cane juice, a cup of cool green-gold nectar is perfect on a hot summer day.

NEW in 2019! CutAbove Tools is a family owned Australian company with an extensive range of gardening tools that suit the needs of trade gardeners, active gardeners or occasional gardeners.

Beeswax Wraps Australia: the amazing eco-friendly alternative to plastic weap. Washable reusable and more manageable than plastic.

The Original Smoke & Spice Company: sella range of delicious smoked condiments including garlic and fermented Black garlic, smoked solar sea salt and lemon smoked solar sea salt.

Prosciutto di Parma: since Roman times, this geographically protected food became world renowed for its delicate and sweet flavour.

Luca Ciano: My wish, my mission is to have my finished product just like I would make and cook at home, for you to experience, enjoy, and share with your friends and family.

Pizza Picchio’s mobile woodfire pizzeria is bringing a little piece of Italy to the Tomato Festival Sydney.

Vannella Cheese Australia: they will have a range of their specialty cheeses as well as their mozzarella bar serving two dishes: scamorza chips and caprese salad.

Garden Shop: Botanically inspired gifts, Royal Botanic Garden honey and range of bush food products.

Relish cafe & bar: Tomato inspired food, drinks and cocktails by the Botanic Gardens Restaurants. Proud partner of the Tomato Festival Sydney.

Harris Farm Markets: A range of delicious heirloom and other tomato varieties along with tomato inspired products will be available to purchase.

Growing Friends: Shop for a great range of native and exotic, rare, hard-to-find and endangered plants.

Longest Tomato Lunch - 24m aged Prosciutto di Parma, grilled peaches, burrata, evoo & balsamic charred sourdough.

Longest Tomato Lunch - Luca's signature warm pasta salad of marinated heirloom tomatoes, celery, rocket, basil, Persian feta.

Longest Tomato Lunch - Ricotta Fritters with Luca's Fresh tomato, Chilli, Basil jam fritters & Garden’s honey.

Longest Tomato Lunch - Chocolate & Amaretti 'bonet' pudding, caramel, summer berries.

Competitions prizes: 

Chutney/relish 
1st prize: $100 gift voucher Harris Farm Markets
2nd prize: 1 year household membership to Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens
3rd prize: The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney coffee table book

Passata
1st prize: $100 gift voucher Harris Farm Markets
2nd prize: 1 year household membership to Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens
3rd prize: The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney coffee table book

Chilli sauce
1st prize: $100 donated by Prof. Meng Chong Ngu
2nd prize: 1 year household membership to Foundation & Friends of the Botanic Gardens
3rd prize: The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney coffee table book

Best-in-Show homegrown tomato
Heaviest 1st prize – 2 year membership to The Diggers Club
Tastiest 1st prize – 2 year membership to The Diggers Club
 

PARTNERS 

      Diggers​                
 

SUPPORTERS