Sometimes organized chaos is just what a town needs to bring its residents together. Spain’s annual tomato-throwing festival of La Tomatina has certainly proven this true.
Festivalgoers covered in tomatoes. dahon. CC BY-ND 2.0.
Considered the world’s biggest food fight, Spain’s annual festival of La Tomatina draws countless residents and visitors to the streets. Held in the small town of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, the festival brings in over 20,000 people every year. The town, which is home to only 10,000 residents, doubles in size during La Tomatina.
The festival takes place on the last Wednesday of August, but has been canceled this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Over the past several years, the festival’s appeal to visitors has skyrocketed. What was once an informal celebration now requires tickets to limit the guests to the small space available; the town plaza comfortably fits 9,000 people but well over 20,000 take part.
The origin of the festival dates back to 1945, when it is told that a group of rambunctious boys started this cherished tradition. It is said that during a town festival, one of the boys fell down in the chaos of the parade. He then knocked over a vegetable cart, causing anger among the other observers. People began throwing the tomatoes at each other, and thus this tradition was born.
The festival tickets can only be purchased if you are 18 years or older, but there is still a place for young feisty participants. Another festival called Tomatina Infantil, or Tomatina Kids, is held for children between the ages of 4 and 14. It takes place on the last Saturday of August, a few days after the main celebration.
The festival itself is a brief event lasting only one to two hours. Shopkeepers prepare for the mess by using large plastic covers to protect their shops being painted red. Large trucks pull into the town center and volunteers toss tomatoes to participants eager to load for battle. The beginning of the festival is marked by a cannon shot at noon, and an hour or so later, a second cannon is shot to mark the end of the festival. Over 300,000 pounds of tomatoes are tossed around. Additionally, participants are given quite a few rules to prevent injury and severe pummeling. These rules include no bottles or hard objects, no tearing or tugging on your own or others’ clothing, requiring all tomatoes to be squashed before throwing, and participants needing to stop throwing tomatoes once the second cannon is shot.
Once the fight has concluded, helpers hose down the painted buildings while participants wash each other. Meanwhile, other participants take a dip in the Bunol River to wash off.
Although chaotic, La Tomatina is a testament to the power of happy accidents bonding a town and its many welcomed visitors.
Ella Nguyen
is an undergraduate student at Vassar College pursuing a degree in Hispanic Studies. She wants to assist in the field of immigration law and hopes to utilize Spanish in her future projects. In her free time she enjoys cooking, writing poetry, and learning about cosmetics.