Team Tomato

You say ketchup, but the World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival, held from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday (July 12 and 13), prefers a different spelling. Now in its tenth year (after a brief break in 2007), the two-day fest returns with a tomatoey ton of activities, all in honor of the beloved Brooks catsup bottle/water tower. Saturday features two hot-dog-eating contests — one for the little ones (at 12:30 p.m.) and one for the adults (at 1:30 p.m.). Then at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, the Brooks catsup celebrity taste test weeds out the disloyal, and the Little Princess Tomato and Sir Catsup contest follows, showing off the catsupiest three- to six-year-old contenders. Plus, there are several concerts and other performances both days, and the Cruzin' in Antiques Classic Car Club of Collinsville hosts a cruise on Saturday and a show and contest on Sunday. The festival is held at American Legion Post 365 (1022 Vandalia Street, Collinsville, Illinois); for more information call 618-344-8775 or visit www.catsupbottlefestival.com.
Sat., July 12; Sun., July 13, 2008