The Ruskin Tomato Festival returns to South Shore

After an 18-month hiatus, the community's annual salute to its famous cash crop returned to E.G. Simmons Park Dec. 3-4.

"This is a back-to-basics version of previous festivals," said Dolly Cummings, a member of the nonprofit Ruskin Community Development Foundation, which sponsors and benefits from the event.

Eight months in the planning, this year's festival was intentionally low-key, reminding visitors of easier times.

"It's a good, old Ruskin community event," said Fred Jacobsen of Apollo Beach. "The tendency now is to homogenize everything into 'South Shore.' This festival keeps Ruskin's heritage alive. Community is what gives people a sense of place."

The tomato fest featured a food court, vendors of all kinds, hands-on activities for kids, carnival games and live entertainment by Prodigy and The Sweeney Family Band.

"Oh, my goodness. They're awesome," said Pam Ponder of Wesley Chapel about the three-man band. "The music is good and their comedy is awesome. I'm so glad I came."

While some of the estimated 2,500 visitors stomped their feet and clapped to the Sweeney's performance, others wandered the park looking at handmade jewelry and such, buying fudge, artisan breads and live plants or enjoying free slices of Tasty Lee tomatoes grown at the Gulf Coast Research Center in Balm. Six-hundred tomato plant seedlings were given away over the weekend.

Home Depot hosted its kids workshop, where children made wooden napkin holders shaped like snowmen. The SouthShore Arts Council set up easels for visitors to sit and draw, and Ruskin paleontologist Frank Garcia displayed part of his vast fossil collection.

"This is my first time here," said Lidia Kovtuschenko, as she watched her son, Dallas Loggins, 4, get his face painted. "I really like it. I'll definitely be back next year."

The festival was sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, Keller Williams Realty SouthShore, Hillsborough Community College SouthShore and Bejo Seeds.