Tomato Festival in Haverskerque Kicks Off for 19th Year

The tomato festival in Haverskerque, a small commune in France's Nord department, began on Sunday, 13 September 2026, marking the 19th edition of the "Fête de la Tomate et des Légumes Anciens."

The event is organised by the association "Des Paysages, des Jardins et des Hommes" (PJH), a group focused on natural gardening. It takes place at the Salle des Fêtes and an adjoining two hectare park on Rue du Onze Novembre in Haverskerque, near Hazebrouck in the Hauts de France region.

What visitors can see at the tomato festival

The centrepiece is an exhibition of thousands of different tomato varieties alongside rare, heirloom vegetables. A contest awards prizes for the best tomato, judged by separate adult and children's juries, as well as for the heaviest tomato of the day. The grounds also host stalls selling tomato based food and tomato plants, along with children's games and tombolas running throughout the day.

Opening hours are 10:00 to 18:00. Entry costs 3 euros, with free admission for children under 16. Around a dozen volunteers from the association run the event.

Background: why the festival draws a crowd every year

Festivals centred on heirloom vegetables like this one have a long tradition in northern France, helping keep rare and endangered varieties visible while connecting hobby gardeners with specialists. PJH also runs a roughly 8,500 square metre community garden in Haverskerque, the "Jardin de l'Ermite," which can be visited by appointment. The tomato festival has become a fixture of the autumn events calendar in the region, attracting both families and gardening enthusiasts from the surrounding area.