La Tomatina is an annual tomato fight held in Buñol, Spain on the fourth Wednesday in August. The tradition began in the 1940s and now attracts over 20,000 people. Participants wear old clothes and throw 90,000 pounds of tomatoes for 30 minutes. The festival also includes food, parades, and fireworks. Firefighters clean up the streets after the event.
Buñol, in Spain’s Valencia region, is the site of the annual tomato fight known as La Tomatina. The Valencia area is famous for its oranges and Buñolis is also a producing city. La Tomatina is a popular tourist attraction that is often referred to as “The World’s Greatest Vegetable Battle”. The Festival always takes place on the fourth Wednesday in August.
The La Tomatina tradition began with a few people throwing tomatoes at Buñolin in the 1940s. The action was engaging and multiple people joined in throwing tomatoes and having tomatoes thrown at them. Every year, after that first tomato toss, the party would take place and soon complete with fireworks, parades and food.
Tuesday evening at La Tomatina is traditionally spent enjoying great food and drink. The Spanish celebratory dish of paella is often served. Then, truckloads of tomatoes are emptied into the streets in time for Wednesday’s produce battle. The shop owners cover their entrances to try and prevent most of the tomato mess and the tomato fighters wear old clothes.
The streets are filled with many people before the tomato throwing begins during La Tomatina. At least 20,000 people now frequent La Tomatina, more than double the population of Brunol. Tourists are advised to book well in advance of the Fiesta and may still need to stay in Valencia rather than Brunol as tourist accommodation is extremely limited.
About 90,000 pounds (40,823 kg) of soft ripe tomatoes are thrown in about 30 minutes during the La Tomatina tomato fight. You have to crush your tomato before you throw it and you have to throw tomatoes only. A thorough wash at the river finishes La Tomatina. People go home and shower, change into dry clothes.
Firefighters help clean up the streets after the tomato throw. Shopkeepers remove plastic sheeting from doors and windows. Everything is clean again and everything is back to normal in Buñol, that is until the next La Tomatina!
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