Tomato Art Fest: dates, parade, road closures, parking in Five Points

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year. Organizer: Tomato Art Fest, run by Good Neighbor Festivals, hello@goodneighborfestivals.com.

Tomato Art Fest is East Nashville’s big summer street festival: two days of tomato art, music, food, costumes and wacky contests in Five Points, plus a homemade parade. It is free. The organizer says an estimated 65,000 people came in 2022. The 23rd festival ran Aug. 7-8, 2026; the 2027 dates have not been announced.

At a glance

• When: a Friday evening and Saturday in August. 2027 dates not yet announced.
• 2026 (23rd): 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8
• Where: Five Points, East Nashville; GPS address 1004 Woodland St.
• Cost: free; two ticketed side events
• No pets, cashless, no outside food or alcohol
• Organizer: tomatoartfest.com

When

The organizer’s FAQ gave the 2026 hours as 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8. The festival began in 2004 as an art show at the former Art and Invention Gallery, its story page says.

The 2027 dates were not on the organizer’s site on Oct. 19. We will add them when they are announced.

What’s there

From the organizer’s pages for 2026:

• The Tomato Art Show: more than 300 tomato-inspired pieces, free and open to the public Friday through Sunday, with every piece for sale. A shuttle ran Friday and Saturday from 10th and Woodland.
• Three stages, more than 200 vendors and local food trucks, the road closures page says.
• The Push, Pull and Wear Parade at 9 a.m. Saturday, lining up at 8:30 a.m. on South 13th Street between Fatherland and Holly. No motors; entries are pushed, pulled or worn. Community groups paid $50 to enter in 2026 (parade page).
• Contests: the Beautiful Tomato, biggest, littlest and ugliest tomato, costumes, haiku, recipes, home decorating, a redhead contest and a cornhole tournament.
• The East Nashville Tomato 5K, run Saturday morning by the Margaret Maddox Family YMCA. The YMCA expected 2,000 runners in 2026.

Tickets

The festival is free all weekend. Two events need tickets, sold on the organizer’s tickets page:

• Art Pre View Party, the Thursday before the festival: a first look at the art show and the first chance to buy pieces.
• Bloody Mary Garden Party, 10 a.m. Saturday during the festival, 21 and over.

The organizer also sells a commemorative pin each year to support the free programming.

Road closures (2026)

From the organizer’s road closures page. Cars left in no-parking areas are ticketed and towed.

Friday, Aug. 7:

• South 11th Street, Woodland to Holly, 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
• South 11th Street, Holly to Fatherland; Holly, 11th to 12th; and Russell, South 10th to South 12th: 9 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 8 (festival):

• North 11th Street, Forest to Woodland: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• South 11th Street, Woodland to Fatherland: midnight to 9 p.m.
• Woodland Street, South 10th to South 12th: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Holly, South 11th to South 12th: midnight to 9 p.m.
• Clearview, North 10th to Woodland: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Russell, South 10th to South 12th: from midnight or 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 8 (parade): South 13th Street, Fatherland to Woodland, 7 to 10 a.m.; Holly, South 12th to South 14th; South 14th, Holly to Woodland; Woodland, South 14th to South 12th; North 14th, Woodland to Forest; and Forest, North 11th to North 14th, 8 to 10 a.m.

Detours: east-west, use Shelby Avenue or Main Street and Gallatin Avenue; north-south, use 10th Street or 16th Street. Street closure questions go to Metro’s Cody Baker, 615-862-8686.

Parking and getting there

• Park on the side streets around the festival and follow posted signs, the FAQ says. Parking is limited.
• Walk, bike, bus or rideshare is the organizer’s advice. Rideshare lanes were at 10th and Woodland and at Forest and North 11th. Plan a bus trip with WeGo’s maps and schedules.

What to know

• No pets. The organizer asks everyone to leave pets at home because of the heat and crowds.
• Cashless: cards and phones only.
• Bags are allowed and are searched at entry. No outside food or alcohol; water bottles are fine and there is a free refill station.
• No smoking at any festival event.
• Rain: any delay or cancellation is posted on the organizer’s site and social channels.
• Lost and found is at the information tent; items are held for 14 days.

More in Nashville

Tomato Art Fest falls about two months after CMA Fest. For more around Five Points, see our brunch guide and live music guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is Tomato Art Fest?

Each August in Five Points, East Nashville. The 23rd festival ran 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. The 2027 dates have not been announced.

Is Tomato Art Fest free?

Yes. The festival and the Tomato Art Show are free. Only the Art Pre View Party and the 21-and-over Bloody Mary Garden Party need tickets.

Where do I park for Tomato Art Fest?

On the side streets around the festival, following posted signs. The organizer recommends walking, biking, WeGo buses or rideshare, with rideshare lanes at 10th and Woodland and at Forest and North 11th.

Can I bring my dog to Tomato Art Fest?

No. The organizer asks festivalgoers to leave pets at home because of the August heat and the crowds.

What streets close for Tomato Art Fest?

In 2026, Woodland Street between South 10th and South 12th, 11th Street, Holly, Russell and Clearview closed around Five Points, with parade closures on 13th, 14th, Holly, Woodland and Forest on Saturday morning.