Historic sources indicate that the Kingdom of Spain, located on the Iberian Peninsula in Europe, has been inhabited since prehistoric times. It is safe to say that Spain, with its centuries-old history, is rich in cultural elements, some of which were incorporated decades ago.
Such is the case with La Tomatina, which takes place every year on the last Wednesday in August in Bunol. Popularly known as the World’s Greatest Food Fight, it dates back to the 1940s.
People
History has it that La Tomatina was started on the last Wednesday of August 1945 by a group of young people who gathered in the town square to participate in a fancy dress festival. During the festival, one of the youths fell and became angry and started throwing everything he could get his hands on. Victims retaliated by picking vegetables from a nearby grocery store. In the end, this ‘vegetable fight’ ended with the intervention of the police.
The following year, the youth rekindled the old feud, and this time they brought tomatoes from home to attack their opponents.
Since then, every year there is a ‘tomato fight’ which often ends with the arrest of several youths by the police.
Even though the youth ‘Tomato Battle’ was banned in the 1950s, the townspeople have always talked about it as a fun sport and finally the authorities allowed it again.
Once again in 1957 the ‘Tomato Battle’ was banned and it was strongly opposed by the townspeople. They carried a large coffin across the streets of Bunol and buried it. It is said that even funeral songs were played during the protest.
The end result was the naming of La Tomatina as a state event. Following its declaration as a state event, the Festival was reported through television and that is how the Spanish people and the world came to know about the wonderful festival that started in Bunol.
Every year since then, the La Tomatina Festival has been held in Bunol on the last Wednesday of August every year with the participation of thousands of local and foreign tourists.
La Tomatina usually starts at around 11 a.m. Trucks loaded with tomatoes arrive at Plaza del Pablo, a square in the heart of the city. Most of the tomatoes are imported from an area located on the Portuguese border.
The festival begins after a man climbs a wooden pole covered with grease and receives a piece of ham placed on top of it.
The festival lasts for about an hour. After that period, no one is able to throw away the tomatoes. At the end of the festival, fire trucks clean the audience and the city by using high-pressure water pumps. It is also possible to see some tourists heading to the Bunol River to have a bath.
Authorities in Bunol have also introduced a set of rules for local and foreign tourists attending the La Tomatina festival to further formalise it and reduce violence.
Forbidden
Accordingly, the authorities have prohibited the disposal of bottles, solids and other contaminants during the festival. It is forbidden to tear or throw away the clothes of others or themselves. Tomatoes should be crushed before throwing to minimise the impact of the blow and it is always necessary to keep a considerable distance between the lorries carrying tomatoes and competitors.