Tomato Quest a Tomato FEST

Gymnasts Ilia, center, and Henry, right, Penn put on a short show of their acrobatic talents for a captivated audience. Photo by Aaron Ricca

KINGMAN – Tomatoes, seeds and shade were center stage at Locomotive Park last weekend.

Mohave County Master Gardeners and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension held the Third Annual Tomato Quest Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Mohave County 4-H Ranch Hands 4-H Club offered the public to play a coin toss game for small prizes such as rubber bracelets, stickers and pencils while also giving out information on local 4-H activities. Photo by Aaron Ricca

The vegetable-themed event has been held at Cecil Davis Park next to DIG it Kingman Community Garden where many of the growers and organizations grow their own tomatoes but was moved to Locomotive Park downtown for an expansion of Tomato Quest.

The Burmese Mountain Dolphins provided a soundtrack for Tomato Quest while a spectator encouraged the band to leave out a tip “jar” (baseball cap improvised on the fly). Photo by Aaron Ricca

The family friendly event offered a live band, educational booths for seed planting, growing and gardening tips, rainwater reclamation, Mohave County 4-H and then some. There were games for kids and adults that offered prizes. There also food trucks and a newly added salsa contest inside the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension building across the street where six contestants offered a variety of flavorful samples.

Lillia Abarca, right, from Mohave County Master Gardeners offered six samples of tomatoes that were a tad bitter to fairly sweet and could be used for anything from sandwiches to salads. Photo by Aaron Ricca

Despite a chilly breeze throughout the day, plenty of people made their way to relax in the park, get some free seeds and taste a variety of locally grown tomatoes from Mohave County Master Gardeners, the Mohave Community College Little Seed Library and a few local private growers.