NEW ORLEANS -  The 34th annual French Market Creole Tomato Festival, June 13 and 14, 2020 is making the pivot to a virtual platform due to Covid-19 (coronavirus) restrictions. The two-day virtual festival will celebrate the bounty of southeast Louisiana with Creole tomato dishes to-go from some of your favorite French Market and New Orleans restaurants in partnership with Ochsner Eat Fit, in addition to streaming musical performances in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, and other festival programming from our partners including Southern Food and Beverage Museum, LSU AgCenter, and Crescent City Farmers Market. “We want to be thoughtful and intentional in our continuation of this cherished French Market tradition by meeting people where they’ve been during the Covid-19 pandemic, within their online platforms and at their dining table,” stated Anna Tusa, French Market Corporation Board of Directors President.

The Creole Tomato Festival will be as edible as ever in partnership with Ochsner Eat Fit and French Market District restaurants. “We are excited to partner with the Creole Tomato Fest for this innovative way to celebrate our beloved, local Creole tomatoes. Even if we are not physically together, we can still connect through food. This connection is nourishing to our spirit as well as our bodies, and our Ochsner Eat Fit restaurant partners are delighted to flex their creative muscle with nutritious and delicious dishes that feature the Creole tomato,” said Molly Kimball, registered dietitian and founder of Ochsner Eat Fit. Over 12 restaurants throughout the Greater New Orleans region will offer beloved Creole tomato dishes available to-go, delivery, and dine-in where available. Restaurants will include Meals From the Heart Café, Blue Line Sandwich Co., Broussard’s, Andrea’s, Lakeview Harbor, and Patois to name a few.

Farm fresh Creole tomatoes will be for sale by vendors through Market Umbrella’s Crescent City Farmers Market. “We’ll host a pop up farmers market featuring local vendors and their home grown creole tomatoes, among other local summer crops on Saturday, June 13th, and will be the official pick up point for creole tomatoes at our Sunday Parkway Drive Thru Market on the 14th. Festival attendees can view the ripe offerings and order through our website (https://app.sourcewhatsgood.com/markets),” shared Angelina Harrison, Director of Markets for Market Umbrella.

The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, in partnership with the Creole Tomato Festival, will offer a spectacular virtual musical line-up including Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Gina Brown & Anutha Level, Stephanie Jordan, Dr. Michael White’s Original Liberty Jazz Band, and more. “In the words of retired New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park Ranger, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, if you want good Creole tomatoes you better raise them yourself. I love that we are able to continue to nurture the convergence of home grown Creole tomatoes, home grown music, and home grown chefs and farmers through this beautiful annual event,” said Matt Hampsey, Supervisory Park Ranger: New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve. The Creole Tomato Festival virtual music stage will air on Facebook and Instagram via the social media pages French Market (New Orleans) and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. In addition to musical performances, festival programming will include virtual presentations by Ochsner Eat Fit, LSU AgCenter, and Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

The French Market District spans from the Shops at the Upper Pontalba on Jackson Square to Crescent Park, including the Shops of the Colonnade on Decatur Street and the open-air Farmers and Flea Markets. The District is open daily and offers an eclectic variety of shops, eateries, and events year-round. Currently operating in accordance with City and State guidelines regarding Covid-19 reopening guidelines.