Every year, on last Wednesday of August, Tomatina festival is held in the city of Bunol in Spain. Tomatina is a festival where in the participants indulge in a friendly tomato pelting fight. There thousands of participants, most of whom travel from across the globe to attend the festival. In this festival, more than 100 tons of specially cultivated inferior tomatoes are used.

The festival is held in the street of the city where the tomatoes are supplied by truck loads in the span of 1 hour – the period for which the festival is held. The festival may only last for an hour, but it does not start until one lucky bloke climbs a well greased up, 2 storey tall wooden pole, to reach a hallowed piece of ham. This sumptuous piece of ham is entirely for whoever can lay his or her hands on it. Once the delicious prize is claimed, water cannons are sprayed in the air, and the juicy chaos ensues.

Trucks bring in loads of tomatoes which the participants pelt at each other in this display of joviality. The tomatoes meant for this are grown in Extremadura specially for the festival. These tomatoes are cheap and of inferior quality.

Although is festival is all merriment, there are a few ground rules to be followed –

1. The tomatoes must be squashed before being thrown, so as to avoid injuries.

2. The participants are supposed to wear goggles to avoid eye injury, and must make way for trucks carrying tomatoes.

3. The participants are not allowed to carry bottles or other hard objects inside the arena, that can potentially harm the other participants.

4. When the second shot is heard, the throwing must immediately stop.

At the end of the festival, firetrucks wash the streets, and the participants must hose themselves down using the water provided by the locals.

The festival is a tradition in the city since 1945. Although the exact reason why the tradition has started is unknown. The common theories state that it began due to a friendly food fight between friends, tomatoes were thrown by bystanders at the parade, aftermath of a tomato lorry spillage, to name a few. The festival is held in the honour of the town’s patron saints, Luis Bertran and the Mare de Deu dels Desemparats (Mother of God of the Defenseless), a title of the Virgin Mary.

This year the festival will be held on 26th August this year. If you wish to attend the festival, please not that there is an entry ticket which the participants must purchase, and the tickets are limited. So you better hurry if you want to attend. You can visit Spain in the Historical Italy tour organised by Heena. Get in touch with us for more tour information, and do send us your photos from the Tomatina Festival.