La Tomatina festival
La Tomatina is a Spanish festival held annually in Buñol, Spain where participants throw tomatoes at each other.
It’s said to be the biggest food fight in the world and it brings thousands of tourists to the region.
The festival started in 1945, after a fight broke out between two groups of teenage boys during a parade in the town.
The festival takes place during the last Wednesday of August. This year’s festival takes place on 28 August 2024.
Here is everything you need to know about La Tomatina.
Witness History is history as remembered by the people who were there.
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How did La Tomatina start?
On 29 August 1945, in the town of Buñol, near Valencia in Spain, a fight broke out during a cultural parade.
They brought tomatoes from home and repeated the experience year after year until one year, the council provided a lorry with tomatoes and it became a very famous celebration鈥�
“There was a parade of costumes with big hats made of cardboard depicting historical figures,” Valencian history teacher Enric Cuenca Yxeres told Witness History.
“The council had to decide between two groups of young people who would wear the costumes.
“I suppose the boys who didn’t get chosen were angry, a heated argument started and one of the big hats ended up on the floor.
“One of the boys – we will never know which – grabbed a tomato and the tomato fight started.”
One of the boys involved with the fight was Goltran Zanon.
His daughter, Maria, told Witness History: “They didn't have bad intentions, it was a prank.
“Today you have so many options of things to do for fun, but back then there was hunger and poverty.
“Franco's regime was very strict so I think that this was a rebellion against the council, the police and all of that.”
The following year the council cancelled the parade to avoid conflict. However, the boys decided to go anyway and brought lots of tomatoes with them.
“They brought tomatoes from home and repeated the experience year after year until one year, the council provided a lorry with tomatoes and it became a very famous celebration,” said Maria.
(Photo: The founders of La Tomatina. Credit: Maria Jose Zanon)
Why was La Tomatina banned?
La Tomatina was banned by Spanish dictator Franco in 1957 because he believed it had no religious significance.
“The whole town, including my dad, dressed in mourning,” said Maria.
“They were all wearing black. They had the hats that people used to wear when they attended a funeral.
“They made a coffin and they must have been growing a huge tomato because they put it in the coffin. And then they marched to the council with a band playing funeral music.”
In 1959, the fight came back, but with rules, a specific time limit and the obligation for participants to clean up after the festival. This has continued until today.
(Photo: The funeral procession after La Tomatina was banned. Credit: Maria Jose Zanon)
La Tomatina: The origins of Spain's huge annual tomato fight
Goltran Zanon started Spain's huge annual tomato-throwing festival in 1945
How many tomatoes are thrown during La Tomatina?
In 2013, the council of Buñol began charging a small fee which helps them purchase over 120 tons of tomatoes for the festival.
The maximum capacity of the festival is 22,000.
“There are six or seven lorries that unload tomatoes at different points on the route to make sure they are available for everyone,” Maria said.
“When the lorry unloads, you’re left with a mountain of tomatoes and people jump on it and begin to fight.”
(Photo: Truck delivering tomatoes during La Tomatina. Credit: Getty Images)
What are the rules at La Tomatina?
The festival begins at 12:00 (CEST) and finishes an hour later when the participants hear the shot of the second warning firework.
You’re not allowed to throw bottles or any other hard objects and participants are told to squash the tomatoes before they throw them.
You can hear Maria Jose Zanon’s full interview with Stefania Gozzer on 麻豆社 World Service's Witness History on 麻豆社 Sounds - it's the episode from 26 August.
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