City’s Fame and Food Celebrated at Juliette’s Green Tomato Festival

JULIETTE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – In Juliette, the annual Green Tomato Festival, offers visitors a taste of the fried delicacy, a reminder of the city’s fame and a short blast from the past.

“When you come in Juliette, you’re just overwhelmed with a step back in time, where everything’s so simple here,” said Whistle Stop Café owner Elizabeth Bryant.

And it may be because the scenery is like a journey straight from the big screen. The 1991 film, Fried Green Tomatoes, was shot in Juliette at the Whistle Stop Café. To this day, thousands of tourists make their way to Monroe County for the festival to try the famed food and relive the movie’s memories.

“‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ is my second favorite movie,” said visitor Nancy Cove, “and I came from Canada and moved to Atlanta and found it was filmed not far from Atlanta, I had to come.”

The event honors the film that started it all. Greg Gentry took pictures of the iconic eatery.

“They really didn’t have to change much, it’s already here,” he said, “it’s pretty authentic and it’s really cool to see it.”

Whether the tomatoes are served on a slice bread, like Bryant likes them, or just on the side with a little sauce, the tourists didn’t seem disappointed by Juliette’s fried green tomatoes.

For more on the festival, click here

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