A day of fun and dancing at the Woodleaf Tomato Festival.
A Day of Community Fun
Woodleaf is a rural community nestled between Salisbury, Statesville and Mocksville, NC. Best known for homegrown tomatoes, names like Wetmore, Myers, Fleming and Correll come to mind when area farmers are mentioned. Born out of a desire to bring the community together as well as raise money for different charities and church projects, the Woodleaf Tomato Festival has become an annual event.
In its ninth year, the festival is held the third Saturday of August at Unity Presbyterian Church on Woodleaf-Barber Road. A community reunion of sorts, people often come from far away just to attend the festival. Stephen and Shannon Swicegood live in Virginia, but knowing relatives would be at the festival, planned a trip to surprise them. Instead, it was Stephen and Shannon who were surprised not only by the size of the event, but how much there was to do, especially for children.
Debbie Fleming, one of the volunteers, said she heard positive comments throughout the day from people saying how much fun they were having. One of the favorite activities seemed to be the live music. Names such as the Back Creek Boys, Matthew Weaver and Lutheridge Cloggers were some of the performers.
I especially enjoyed watching my grandchildren, ages four, two and one having fun at the festival. A highlight for them was grabbing candy thrown during the early morning parade. I got tickled at my oldest grandson, Carson. When he couldn’t hold any more candy in his hands, he took off his cap, hiding his stash in the bottom.
The kids later danced with the Lady Tomatoes, seen in the photo above, to songs such as the Chicken Dance. If they didn’t know the moves, nobody cared, it was all about the fun. Debbie said the Lady Tomatoes not only dress up for the Woodleaf Festival, but also other events such as the Faith Fourth of July, representing their community as Ambassadors of goodwill, spreading joy and laughter wherever they go.
If you’ve never been to the Woodleaf Tomato Festival, make plans to go next year. There’s definitely something for everyone from the youngest to the oldest. Crafters, yard sale items, music, secret bids, hayrides, hamburgers, hot dogs, cakes, you name it, it’s all there. With money going to local charities and church projects, there’s no better way to spend a Saturday in mid-August than at the Tomato Festival. Besides, you’ll see folks you haven’t seen in years. You can even order a tomato sandwich with mayo, if you like. Mark your calendars now.
Does your community sponsor an event each year? I’d love to hear about it, so leave a comment below, message on Facebook or email dicysm@yahoo.com.
Thanks,
Dicy
www.dicymcculloughbooks.com/blog
