Donations help TomatoFest grow to potential

The title “TomatoFest” might conjure images of La Tomatina in Busol, Spain, where tens of thousands of people hurl a metric ton of tomatoes at each other in one of the world's grandest food fights.

But the purpose of TomatoFest, to be held at Emerson Park this weekend, is not to waste food. Instead, the festival will raise money for local food pantries, as it has since 1986.

This year's TomatoFest came close to not happening due to insufficient sponsorship, but 11th hour support put it back on the calendar.