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Samples, music, games this Saturday
Second annual Heirloom Tomato Festival will have plenty to eat, see, do
“This is going to be one absolute blast of a festival,” said organizer Meredith Gremel of this Saturday’s second annual Heirloom Tomato Festival held at Reds on the River from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Businesses throughout downtown are coordinating special pricing and giveaways to go with the ‘Show us your Tomatoes’ theme.
The Heirloom Tomato festival will feature music, events and food under at tent in Red’s parking lot, a marinara contest open to the public, a Little Miss Heirloom pageant for girls under 12 and a wide variety of tomato/harvest-themed fun.“There aren’t a lot of towns like Rockford anymore,” said Gremel. She referred to the wide variety of shops, the lovely flowers at Peppler Park where hundreds go during the summer for photos, and all the music and festivals that take place here.
The tomato festival idea came from the abundance of the crop. She said Dave Ingraberg farms and Chef Glenn at Reds were commenting on how wonderful yet abundant the tomato is when grown the way nature intended. She said the two decided to have a festival centered on the tomato.
This year there will be heirloom tomato seeds for sale, MSU extension Master Gardeners offering advise, a Red’s sampler offered with ticket purchases, roasted corn, a beer tent and other traditional, harvest time family event. North Kent Service Center will offer a lemonade stand with proceeds to the facility and any left over tomatoes will be donated.The Festival Line Up includes …
- 11 a.m. ‐ noon: Dublin Station (www.dublinstation.com/)
- Noon: Crowing Little Miss Heirloom Tomato Princess (girls 12 Under ‐ dress in tomato, heirloom, or harvest attire and win a gift certificate to Aunt Candy’s Toy Company!)
- 12:30 ‐ 2:30 p.m. ‐‐ The Bean Poles (www.myspace.com/bobobluescat)
- 1 p.m.: Marinara Sauce Contest Judging begins (contestants must drop off their sauce in sealed containers clearly labeled with name, address, phone, email, and recipe at 10 am to Reds kitchen. Prepare enough to serve 10 judges). Top three winners awarded Reds gift certificates.
- Heirloom Essay Contest winner announced — see www.reds‐live.com for details.
- 3 ‐ 4 p.m.: The Moonrays
- 10 a.m.—4 pm: Kids games and activities, Old Fashioned Lemonade Stand, Beer Tent, free samples, tomatoes and seeds for sale, Reds best heirloom dishes and freshly pulled mozzarella, roasted corn, grilled brats, cool t‐shirts for sale, and much more!
For more information, check out www.reds‐live.com, Reds Facebook Event page, or call Reds at 616.863.8181.
Gremel said the weather is supposed to be wonderful and there are even more things for people of all ages to experience. She urged those who visit to take the time to wander downtown shops and see what specials the merchants offer.
With all the family favorites, Miss Tomato Head decorating, facepainting, sack races and more along with the old-fashioned fun of a free outdoor event, this festival is sure to please.
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Children learn up close with zoo animals at Krause
Colleen LaBeau and her little friends packed Krause Memorial Library on Monday, June 28 as over 200 fascinated youngsters showed up for visiting animals from John Ball Zoo. Children were able to learn about the animals—ears, not legs make the difference between snakes and skinks—and were even allowed to pet a blue-tongued skink after the presentation. In addition to a blue-tongued skink, children saw a hooded Merganser duck and a long-tailed chinchilla, and were able to touch animal exhibits of a wolverine pelt and paw, an ostrich egg, shark jaws, a turtle shell and others. LeBeau is the outreach program facilitator. She said she has many programs coming up at other libraries. If you missed this event, check Kent District Library’s website at www.kdl.org to see where else zoo animals will be visiting.
Children are excited to be able to touch a New Guinea blue-tongued skink at Krause Memorial Library in downtown Rockford.
Mitchell Swint, 4, plays with a set of shark jaws.
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Annual Kid’s Bike Parade set for Fourth of July
Looking for some good old-fashioned fun this Fourth of July? Then head into downtown Rockford for the second annual Fourth of July Kid’s Bike Parade, starting at 2 p.m. from the South Squires Towers parking lot (east of the White Pine Trail). Parade participants should gather at 1:30 p.m. to line up. The parade will wind through Squires Street Square with the supervision of the Rockford City Police.
Kids are encouraged to decorate their bikes in red, white and blue. Parents are most welcome to walk along and cheer on the participants. Each child will be given a special gift for participating, and there will a prize for the best dressed bicycle.Sweet Tooth will have a Bubble Gum Contest after the parade in front of their store. Parade organizers also will have a drop box for retired U.S. flags.
The Heart of Rockford Business Association is the parade sponsor.
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The Huntington Rogue River Blues Series begins
The Huntington Rogue River Blues concert series at Garden Club Park began Tuesday, June 15. Enjoy this free entertainment this summer.
photos by TOM SCOTT
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Eleven children released from hunger by student drive
Students at Rockford Christian School learned that hunger isn’t a problem only in far away places. Working with Kids Food Basket in Grand Rapids, the students raised in donations and food, a total value of $1,650, an amount which will feed eleven students after-school meals for a year.
On Wednesday, May 19, the students released 11 butterflies representing the 11 children released from hunger.Kids Food Basket was founded by a teacher in Grand Rapids who saw kindergarten students picking through a dumpster after school. She asked them what they were doing and they said there was no food at their home. Third grade teacher Becky Werden said, “The children learned that kids can be hungry right in our own neighborhoods and community. We are always more blessed by doing projects like this.”
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