SLOCOMB, Ala. (WDHN) — For the 33rd Annual Slocomb Tomato Festival this June adult beverages will be available at the two-day venue for the first time.

Event organizers believe the revenue generated from alcohol sales will help book top-name entertainment in the coming years.

In addition, the event will expand for the first time outside of Centennial Park. Slocomb City Councilman Don White says it takes money to bring in money.

For the first time, alcohol sales will be permitted at the festival site in Centennial Park in June. There will be no coolers’ and festival goers will not be allowed to bring in alcohol, but the expected additional gate revenue will be helpful in bringing in top-name musical acts and other festival expenses in coming years.

“Along with our concert venue this year we will have adult beverages for sale this year for those who want to partake in the adult beverages. No coolers in the concert and vendor areas this year,” says Don White.

Having the vendors lined up along the streets of downtown Slocomb allows folks to visit the vendors without having to pay a fee to get into the festival.

For the first time this year, the 100-plus vendors will be located along several streets downtown. Centennial Park will be used for festival activities, and someone doesn’t have to pay a gate receipt in order to visit the vendors.

“In the past, you would have to pay to get into the festival to see the vendors. A lot of people did not want to pay just to see the vendors. Now we have the vendors set up outside of the fairgrounds so you can view our vendors for free and support our vendors who support our tomato festival,” says White.

The council approved a one-time festival request for an additional five thousand dollars of its federal COVID relief money to be combined with its budget allocation for the festival.