La Tomatina is a famous Spanish festival revolving around the tomato that takes place every last Wednesday of August in the town of Buñol, near Valencia. Its popularity today is such that thousands of people from all corners of the world attend this celebration every year.
Until 2013, attendance did not stop growing, reaching up to the incredible figure of 50,000 people, which amazingly increased the approximately 9,000 inhabitants of Buñol. It was then when, in view of the growing reputation of the festival, the authorities decided to control access and ticket sales to a maximum of 20,000 lucky people.
However, this year, due to the current global pandemic we are experiencing, Buñol town hall has decided to cancel the celebration in 2020 to maintain security and follow public health recommendations that aim to prevent the spread of the virus.
The origin of the holiday dates back to the last Wednesday of August 1945. during a parade of musicians, giants and big heads. Some young people, in their eagerness to gain a foothold, made one of the participants fall and he, enraged, hit everything he found in his path. For this reason, the crowd began to throw tomatoes at them that they found in a nearby stall.
The following year the young people repeated the act, and thus the accidental tradition continued until 1950, when it was banned. Local protests in favor of La Tomatina were heard and in 1957 it was allowed again, gaining supporters ever since.
As a suggestion and if you go to this battle in the good sense of the word, wear those clothes that you don’t mind getting rid of. Some prefer to wear white t-shirts to bring out the red color of the tomatoes, and others just choose to wear old t-shirts. As for footwear, the most recommended are closed shoes to keep the foot protected, and again it will be better to wear those that have already fulfilled their purpose.
Also, many carry swimming goggles to protect your eyes; It may not seem like an essential item, but it sure won’t be left over during playtime. Everything else, better keep it in a safe place until your return.
The action begins around 11 in the morning when the tomatoes are piled up at various points in the town square. With the launch of water cannons the season opens for the next hour and from here, it’s all about picking up a tomato, squishing it lightly, and throwing it at whoever you want. When the hour is over, at noon, they will be heard Fireworks which indicate that the tomato launch has concluded.
But all that glitters is not gold, and the party has received some criticism throughout the years. For example, in 2016 Nigeria criticized the celebration due to the misuse of tomatoes, especially since they were experiencing a shortage of the food due to a plague of moths, although it is true that the type of tomato used for these purposes is not suitable for consumption according to Spanish legislation.
La Tomatina is a unique party in the whole world that will make you experience excessive fun, releasing all the adrenaline that you have accumulated inside your body. It may sound crazy, but it is an adventure to experience at least once in a lifetime. If you want to be one of the attendees, we recommend you be very proactive in your reservation as there are more interested parties than available places.