Manor Tavern to hold Tomato Festival

The new owners of the Manor Tavern in Monkton will hold their first-ever Tomato Festival on Aug. 28 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the restaurant parking lot and adjacent field.

The festival is free and includes kids games, croquet, bocce ball, music, a moon bounce and a lacrosse speed-throwing contest.

A tomato contest, with prizes going to the biggest, ugliest and tastiest tomatoes, will accept entries until 3:30 p.m. Winners will be announced at 4 p.m.

Another contest will ask folks to guess the number of tomatoes stuffed into the trunk of a Mercedes-Benz.

The Manor Tavern will be selling tomato-based dishes and fresh Bloody Marys. Local vendors are selling beer, wine and organic vegetables and cheese.

The North County restaurant recently was bought by five men — Bill Irvine and Patrick Russell, owners of Woody's Rum Bar, Slainte Irish Pub and Kooper's Tavern in Fells Point; William Mitcherling and John Mitcherling, owners of Au Poitin Stil in Timonium; and Jim Franzone, owner of Verdant Valley Farm in Monkton.

All money raised during the Tomato Festival will be donated to St. James Academy's financial assistance fund for students in need.

The Manor Tavern is located at 15819 Old York Road, Monkton. For more details, call 410-771-8155.