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{{Short description|Food fighting festival where people throw tomatoes at each other}}
[[Image:Tomatina.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Tomatoes in midair]]
{{Italic title}}
'''La Tomatina''' is a [[festival]] held on a Wednesday towards the end of August in the town of [[Buñol]] in the [[Valencia (autonomous community)|Valencia]] region in [[Spain]]. Tens of thousands of participants come from all over the world to fight in a harmless battle where more than one hundred metric tons of over-ripe [[tomato]]es are thrown in the streets.
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = La Tomatina
|type = cultural
a in 2014
|official_name = La Tomatina
|nickname =
|observedby = [[Buñol]], [[Valencian Community|Valencia]], Spain
|litcolor =
|longtype =
|significance =
|begins =
|ends =
|date =
|week_ordinal = last
|weekday = Wednesday
|month = August
|celebrations =
|observances =
|relatedto =
|frequency = annual
|duration = 1 }}
'''La Tomatina''' is a Spanish festival in [[Buñol]], Spain where participants throw [[tomato]]es at each other. It is said to be the biggest [[food fight]] in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Magazine |first1=Smithsonian |last2=Geiling |first2=Natasha |title=Photos from La Tomatina, the World's Biggest Food Fight |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/la-tomatina-spains-biggest-food-fight-180952489/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fine |first=Camille |title='World's largest food fight': Best photos from 'Tomatina' tomato street fight in Spain |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2022/08/31/spain-tomato-fight-tomatina-photos/7949851001/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> From the festival's origin as a food fight between friends in the 1940s, it has become a famous [[tourist attraction]]. Until 2013 there was no limit to the number of participants; in 2013 the festival became a ticketed event for no more than 20,000, so as not to overwhelm Buñol's population of about 9,000 people.<ref>{{Cite web |title=La Tomatina – The World's biggest and most famous food fight |url=https://www.latomatinatours.com/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=www.latomatinatours.com |language=en-gb}}</ref>


==History==
The weeklong festival features [[music]], [[parade]]s, [[dancing]], and [[firework]]s.
[[File:La Tomatina (25.08.2010) - Spain, Buñol 21.jpg|thumb|left|La Tomatina 25 August 2010 ]]
On the night before the tomato fight, participants of the festival compete in a [[paella]] [[cooking contest]].
[[File:Tomatina 2006.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Tomato battle at Tomatina in 2006]]


La Tomatina Festival started the last Wednesday of August in 1945 when some young people spent time in the town square to attend the Giants and Big-Heads figures parade. One participant's Big-head fell off, as a result of the festivities. The participant flew into a fit of rage, and began hitting everything in their path. There was a market stall of vegetables that fell victim to the fury of the crowd, as people started to pelt each other with tomatoes until the local forces ended the fruit battle.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}
Approximately 30,000 people come to the tomato fight, multiplying by several times Buñol's normal population of 9,000. There are not many accommodations for people who come to La Tomatina, and thus many participants stay in Valencia and travel by bus or train to Buñol, about 38 km outside the city. In preparation for the dirty mess that will ensue, shopkeepers cover their storefronts in order to protect them from the carnage.


The following year, some young people engaged in a pre-planned quarrel and brought their own tomatoes from home. Although the local forces broke it up, this began the yearly tradition. In the following years, the boys' example was followed by thousands of people.
At around 11 a.m., the first event of the Tomatina begins. A ham is placed upon a [[cockaigne|cockaigne pole]] (a large, greased pole), and the tomato fight can begin only when someone is able to climb to the top and bring it down.[http://gospain.about.com/od/august/ig/Ham-Up-a-Greasy-Pole--Tomatina/index.htm] People struggle against each other, climbing atop one another, in order to be the one to pull down the ham. With this victory, the tomato-throwing begins.


La Tomatina was banned in the early 1950s by [[Francisco Franco]] due to the festival's lack of religious significance, however, this did not stop the participants, who were later then arrested. The people protested against the prohibition and the festival was again allowed with more participants. The festivity was again canceled until 1957 when, as a sign of defiance, a tomato funeral was held: a demonstration in which the residents carried a coffin with a large tomato inside. The parade was accompanied by a music band that played funeral marches. The protest was successful, and La Tomatina Festival was finally permitted and became an official festival.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barr |first=Sabrina |date=28 August 2019 |title=What is La Tomatina, how did it begin and where does it take place? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/la-tomatina-festival-spain-food-tomatoes-what-when-where-begin-history-a9080226.html |access-date=2021-08-23 |website=[[The Independent]] |language=en}}</ref>
Many trucks haul the bounty of tomatoes into the center of the town, Plaza del Pueblo. The tomatoes come from [[Extremadura]], where they are less expensive. The signal for the beginning of the fight is firing of the cannon, and the chaos begins. Once it begins, the battle is generally every man for himself. Those who partake in this event are strongly encouraged to wear protective [[safety goggles]] and [[glove]]s. In addition, they must squish the tomatoes before throwing for safety precautions. Another rule is that no one is allowed to bring into this fight anything that may provoke someone into a more serious brawl, such as a glass bottle. It is highly frowned upon to tear someone else's clothing. Somewhere between an hour and two hours, the fighting ends and the cannon is fired once more to signal the end. At this point no more tomatoes can be thrown. The cleaning process involves the use of [[Dire apparatus|fire truck]]s to spray down the streets, with water provided from a [[Roman aqueduct]]. People find water to wash themselves, most likely at the [[Buñol River]].


As a result of the report of Javier Basilio, a broadcaster from the Spanish television program called ''Informe Semanal'', the festival started to be known throughout the rest of Spain. Since then, the number of participants increased year after year as well as the excitement about La Tomatina Festival. In 2002, La Tomatina of Buñol was declared a [[Fiestas of International Tourist Interest of Spain|Fiesta of International Tourist Interest]] by the Secretary Department of Tourism due to its popularity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://latomatina.info/en/la-tomatina/|title=La Tomatina – Página oficial|last=Studio|first=Socarrat|website=latomatina.info|language=es|access-date=2017-08-20|archive-date=2017-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820163615/http://latomatina.info/en/la-tomatina/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The festival is in honor of the town's patron saints, [[Luis Bertràn]] and the ''Mare de Déu dels Desemparats'' (Mother of God of the Defenseless), a title of the [[Blessed Virgin Mary|Virgin Mary]].


The 2020 event, which was to be its 75th anniversary, was cancelled in April 2020 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Spain]]. It had only been cancelled once before, in 1957, for political reasons.<ref name="idealist-2020-cancel">{{cite news |last1=Donaldson |first1=Emma |title=La Tomatina Festival 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19 |url=https://www.idealista.com/en/news/lifestyle-in-spain/2020/07/13/7688-la-tomatina-festival-2020-cancelled-due-to-covid-19 |access-date=5 July 2021 |work=idealista |date=13 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Due to COVID-19, the 2021 event was also cancelled.<ref name="bunyol-2021-cancel">{{cite web |title=Buñol suspende La Tomatina 2021 (Buñol suspends La Tomatina 2021) |url=https://www.xn--buol-hqa.es/comunicados/bunol-suspende-la-tomatina-2021 |website=buol.es |publisher=Ayuntamiento de Bunyol (Bunyol Town Hall) |access-date=5 July 2021 |language=es |date=11 March 2021 |archive-date=16 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616075204/https://www.xn--buol-hqa.es/comunicados/bunol-suspende-la-tomatina-2021 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
While it is often said that the festival is held on the last Wednesday in August, this is not always true: in 2001, the festival was held on August 22, despite August 29 being the final August Wednesday.
In the last edition, on August 28, 2024, more than 23,000 people from 51 countries participated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tomatina.org/|title=La Tomatina – Página oficial}}</ref>


==Description==
The tomato fight has been a strong tradition in Buñol since 1944 or 1945. No one is completely certain how this event originated. Possible theories on how the Tomatina began include a local [[food fight]] among friends, a juvenile [[Class conflict|class war]], a volley of tomatoes from bystanders at a [[carnival]] parade, a practical joke on a bad musician, the anarchic aftermath of an accidental lorry spillage. One of the most popular theories is that disgruntled townspeople attacked city councilmen with tomatoes during a town celebration. Whatever happened to begin the tradition, it was enjoyed so much that it was repeated the next year, and the year after that, and so on. The holiday was banned during the [[Spanish State]] period under [[Francisco Franco]] for having no religious significance, but returned in the 1970s after his demise. [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://cvc.cervantes.es/aula/lecturas/intermedio/lectura_01/texto/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522El%2BDia%2Bde%2Bla%2BTomatina%2522%26num%3D20%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG]
[[File:Two men preparing greasy pole for La Tomatina festival.jpg|right|thumb|Applying grease to a pole to be used in the "Palo Jabón" event]]


Events during the days before the fight include a paella contest near the town's square, tomato fireworks, and different music bands and parades around the medieval city centre. On Wednesday morning, the first event before the tomato battle is the "Palo Jabón", centred on a long greased pole with a piece of ham at its top. The goal is for participants to climb the pole and make the ham drop, which requires them to climb on each other. During this effort, other celebrants sing and dance in circles, and all participants are doused with water from hoses. Once the ham falls, the tomato battle commences.<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.spanishfiesta.org/la-tomatina.html | title=La Tomatina | journal=Spanish Fiesta | publisher=SpanishFiesta.org | author=SpanishFiesta.org | date=14 September 2022 }}</ref>
== Criticism ==


Usually, the fight lasts for about one hour, after which the town square is covered with tomato debris.<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.spanishfiesta.org/la-tomatina.html | title=La Tomatina | journal=RTÉ News | publisher=RTE | author=Mullins, Deirdre| date=26 June 2009 }}</ref> Fire trucks then hose down the streets and participants often use hoses that locals provide to remove the tomatoes from their bodies. Some participants go to the Los Peñones pool to wash. [[Citric acid]] in the tomatoes aids in the cleaning process, resulting in some of the town's surfaces being cleaner after being rinsed off than they were before the event.<ref name="losangeles">{{cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-tomatina-food-fight-spain-20000-people-130-tons-tomatoes-20130828-story.html | title=La Tomatina festival: 20,000 people, 130 tons of tomatoes, 1 big mess | newspaper=The Los Angeles Times | date=28 August 2013 | author=Harris, Jenn}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thetasteofspain.com/spanish-fiestas/la-tomatina/ | title=La Tomatina | publisher=The Taste of Spain|access-date=24 August 2017}}</ref>
The Tomatina has also come under attack because of the large-scale waste of food that the festival involves. The ''Herald Sun'' (Durham, NC) in 1999 remarked that the food "would have gone a long way to providing a healthy supplement to an otherwise sparse diet among the many poor in the world." (See also ''The Guardian'', 24 August 2004)


Since 2002 participation in the event has been restricted to the 20,000 holders of paid tickets. In 2015, it was estimated that almost {{cvt|145,000|kg}} of tomatoes were thrown.<ref name="losangeles"/>
== Sources ==


The city council prescribes a short list of instructions for the safety of the participants and the festival:<ref>{{cite web|title=The Rules of Tomatina Festival|url=http://latomatina.info/en/la-tomatina/#reglas|publisher=Tomatina|access-date=2018-06-09|archive-date=2018-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140706/http://latomatina.info/en/la-tomatina/#reglas|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Linda Wolff, "A waste of good produce", ''The Herald Sun'', 1 September 1999

* ''The Guardian'', "G2: La Tomatina", 24 August 2004, p. 3
# Do not throw anything but tomatoes
# Do not tear clothes
# Squash tomatoes before throwing them to avoid hurting others
# Keep a safe distance from trucks
# Stop throwing tomatoes after the second starter pistol shot
# Follow the directions of security staff
# Only throw tomatoes at targets you can see, to avoid hurting others
# Do not throw tomatoes directly at buildings
# Have a great, fun time!

==In other countries==
[[File:Arrojando tomates desde un camión - La Tomatina 2010.jpg|thumb|Throwing tomatoes from a truck]]

La Tomatina Buñol has inspired similar celebrations in other parts of the world:
* Since 1982, the town of [[Twin Lakes, Lake County, Colorado|Twin Lakes, Colorado]] has held a tomato fight called the "[[Colorado-Texas Tomato War]]," in which [[Texas|Texans]] and [[Colorado|Coloradans]] square off. The Coloradans also attempt to overtake the Texans' straw [[Alamo Mission in San Antonio|Alamo]] effigy, generally succeeding.
* Since 2004 the Colombian town of [[Sutamarchán]] holds a similar event on 15 June when a surplus of tomatoes is harvested.<ref name="Galván2014">{{cite book|last=Galván|first=Javier A.|title=They Do What? A Cultural Encyclopedia of Extraordinary and Exotic Customs from around the World: A Cultural Encyclopedia of Extraordinary and Exotic Customs from around the World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e2RyBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA309|date=19 June 2014|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-61069-342-4|pages=309–}}</ref>
* In Costa Rica the town of San José de Trojas in the [[San Pedro District, Sarchí|San Pedro]] district of [[Sarchí (canton)|Sarchí canton]] ([[Alajuela Province]]) celebrates a Tomatina during the local Tomato Fair.<ref name="odd">{{cite web | url=http://oddculture.com/la-tomatina-tomato-festival-inspires-tomato-battle-in-usa/ | title=La Tomatina Tomato Festival Inspires Tomato Battle In USA | publisher=Odd Culture | date=10 August 2011 | access-date=2016-07-28 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723115316/http://oddculture.com/la-tomatina-tomato-festival-inspires-tomato-battle-in-usa/ | archive-date=2016-07-23 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* In the town of [[Dongguan]] in southern [[Guangdong]] in China, a tomato fight is held on 19 October, during which they use up to 15 tonnes of tomatoes.<ref name="odd"/>
* The City of [[Reno, Nevada]] in the United States also has an annual hour-long tomato fight that started in 2009. The event seems to take place on the last Sunday of August and is organized by the [[American Cancer Society]]. Organizers named the festival La Tomatina, and give full credit for the idea to the Spanish festival.<ref name="Galván2014"/>
* In the Indian state of [[Karnataka]], the [[Karnataka Government]] banned the hosting of such a Tomatina event in [[Bangalore]] and [[Mysore]], after private organizers tried to organize one. Chief Minister [[D.V. Sadananda Gowda]] is quoted as saying: "In the name of 'La Tomatina' festival, permission should not be granted to waste tomatoes". A similar plan in Delhi was cancelled after received negative response from the public.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bangalore's Tomatina festival cancelled|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/bangalore-s-tomatina-festival-cancelled-134173|publisher=[[NDTV 24x7]] |access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref>
* [[Funtasia Island]], [[Patna]] hosted a similar ''La tomatina [[Holi]]'' event on 26 March 2013 at [[Funtasia Water Park]] in [[Patna]], India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130327/jsp/bihar/story_16716909.jsp#.Ujs1WoGDk9s|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403103436/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130327/jsp/bihar/story_16716909.jsp#.Ujs1WoGDk9s|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 April 2013|title=Splash of La Tomatina adds to park revelry – Funmakers get drenched in tomatoes instead of gulal ahead of festival|publisher=Calcutta Telegraph}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
* The festival was re-created for the song "[[Ik Junoon (Paint it red)]]" from the 2011 [[Bollywood]] film ''[[Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara]]''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Abhay-Deol-goes-topless/Article1-703287.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125091310/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Abhay-Deol-goes-topless/Article1-703287.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-25 |title=Abhay Deol goes topless! |newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=31 May 2011 |access-date=2011-06-29 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/1949/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150828230451/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/1949 |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 August 2015 |title=Check out: Hrithik, Katrina, Farhan & Abhay shooting for Tomatina fest in Spain |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]] |date=19 March 2011 |access-date=2015-08-25}}</ref>
* The opening scene of the film ''[[We Need to Talk About Kevin (film)|We Need to Talk About Kevin]]'' depicts the character Eva attending La Tomatina
* The Movie ''[[Spanish Masala]]'' has a scene showing the La Tomatina festival
* The 2007 game ''[[Tekken 6]]'' features a stage named "Fiesta del Tomate", based on the Tomatina
* The 2014 British musical film ''[[Walking on Sunshine (film)|Walking on Sunshine]]'' features a tomato fight in an [[Apulia]]n village; shot in [[Nardò]], Italy<ref name="FT">[https://www.ft.com/content/c1341406-f899-11e3-815f-00144feabdc0 On location: ‘Walking on Sunshine’], [[Joanne O'Connor]], 27 June 2014, [[Financial Times]]</ref>
* The 2011 Hindi spoken movie ''[[Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara]]'' has a scene/song number featuring this festival. The song is titled "[[Ik Junoon]]"
* The 2013 animated series ''[[Mickey Mouse (TV series)|Mickey Mouse]]'' episode "Al Rojo Vivo" features Mickey Mouse stumbling across La Tomatina<ref>{{cite web |title=Al Rojo Vivo {{!}} A Mickey Mouse Cartoon {{!}} Disney Shorts |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F10ofo0yuhw&t=20s |website=Youtube | date=28 March 2015 |access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref>

== See also ==
Similar festivals
* [[Carnival of Ivrea]], an orange fight in Italy
* [[Gorehabba]], a cow dung fight following [[Diwali]] in India
* [[Haro Wine Festival]], a wine fight in Spain
* [[Pidakala War]], a cow dung fight following [[Ugadi]] in India
* [[Songkran (Thailand)|Songkran]], during which water fights are held in Thailand <!-- note: water fights are also held outside of thailand, but the general songkran article only briefly mentions them -->
Events in Spain
* [[Fiestas of International Tourist Interest of Spain]]
* [[Running of the bulls]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.latomatina.es/ Official Tomatina site]
* [http://gospain.about.com/od/august/ig/Pictures-of-Tomatina-Fight/index.htm Pictures of Tomatina 2006]
* [http://gospain.about.com/od/august/ig/Ham-Up-a-Greasy-Pole--Tomatina/index.htm Climbing Up a Greasy Pole at Tomatina]
* [http://gospain.about.com/od/spanishfestivals/qt/tomatinatravel.htm Tomatina Travel Options] How to get to Tomatina, from About.com.


{{Commons category|La Tomatina}}
[[Category:Spanish culture]]
* [https://latomatina.info/ Official website of La Tomatina]<!-- the official website can be confirmed on the Buñol.es website -->
[[Category:Valencia (autonomous community)]]
* [https://turismolahoya.buñol.es/en/the-tomatina/ Ayuntamiento de Buñol - The Tomatina]
* [https://tomatina.org/ Official ticketing website Tomatina]

{{Fiestas of International Tourist Interest (Spain)}}
{{Culture of Valencian Community}}
{{Tomatoes}}
{{Authority control}}

{{coord|39|25|10|N|0|47|26|W|region:ES-VC_type:event_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title}}


[[ca:Tomatina]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomatina}}
[[Category:August events]]
[[de:Tomatina]]
[[Category:Festivals in Spain]]
[[es:Tomatina]]
[[Category:Food and drink festivals in Spain]]
[[fr:Tomatina]]
[[Category:Culture of the Valencian Community]]
[[nl:Tomatina]]
[[pt:Tomatina]]
[[Category:Tomatoes]]
[[Category:Festivals established in 1945]]
[[Category:Fight play]]

Latest revision as of 11:05, 7 January 2025

La Tomatina
Official nameLa Tomatina
Observed byBuñol, Valencia, Spain
DateLast Wednesday in August
2024 dateAugust 28  (2024-08-28)
2025 dateAugust 27  (2025-08-27)
2026 dateAugust 26  (2026-08-26)
2027 dateAugust 25  (2027-08-25)
Frequencyannual

La Tomatina is a Spanish festival in Buñol, Spain where participants throw tomatoes at each other. It is said to be the biggest food fight in the world.[1][2] From the festival's origin as a food fight between friends in the 1940s, it has become a famous tourist attraction. Until 2013 there was no limit to the number of participants; in 2013 the festival became a ticketed event for no more than 20,000, so as not to overwhelm Buñol's population of about 9,000 people.[3]

History

[edit]
La Tomatina 25 August 2010
Tomato battle at Tomatina in 2006

La Tomatina Festival started the last Wednesday of August in 1945 when some young people spent time in the town square to attend the Giants and Big-Heads figures parade. One participant's Big-head fell off, as a result of the festivities. The participant flew into a fit of rage, and began hitting everything in their path. There was a market stall of vegetables that fell victim to the fury of the crowd, as people started to pelt each other with tomatoes until the local forces ended the fruit battle.[citation needed]

The following year, some young people engaged in a pre-planned quarrel and brought their own tomatoes from home. Although the local forces broke it up, this began the yearly tradition. In the following years, the boys' example was followed by thousands of people.

La Tomatina was banned in the early 1950s by Francisco Franco due to the festival's lack of religious significance, however, this did not stop the participants, who were later then arrested. The people protested against the prohibition and the festival was again allowed with more participants. The festivity was again canceled until 1957 when, as a sign of defiance, a tomato funeral was held: a demonstration in which the residents carried a coffin with a large tomato inside. The parade was accompanied by a music band that played funeral marches. The protest was successful, and La Tomatina Festival was finally permitted and became an official festival.[4]

As a result of the report of Javier Basilio, a broadcaster from the Spanish television program called Informe Semanal, the festival started to be known throughout the rest of Spain. Since then, the number of participants increased year after year as well as the excitement about La Tomatina Festival. In 2002, La Tomatina of Buñol was declared a Fiesta of International Tourist Interest by the Secretary Department of Tourism due to its popularity.[5]

The 2020 event, which was to be its 75th anniversary, was cancelled in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. It had only been cancelled once before, in 1957, for political reasons.[6] Due to COVID-19, the 2021 event was also cancelled.[7] In the last edition, on August 28, 2024, more than 23,000 people from 51 countries participated.[8]

Description

[edit]
Applying grease to a pole to be used in the "Palo Jabón" event

Events during the days before the fight include a paella contest near the town's square, tomato fireworks, and different music bands and parades around the medieval city centre. On Wednesday morning, the first event before the tomato battle is the "Palo Jabón", centred on a long greased pole with a piece of ham at its top. The goal is for participants to climb the pole and make the ham drop, which requires them to climb on each other. During this effort, other celebrants sing and dance in circles, and all participants are doused with water from hoses. Once the ham falls, the tomato battle commences.[9]

Usually, the fight lasts for about one hour, after which the town square is covered with tomato debris.[10] Fire trucks then hose down the streets and participants often use hoses that locals provide to remove the tomatoes from their bodies. Some participants go to the Los Peñones pool to wash. Citric acid in the tomatoes aids in the cleaning process, resulting in some of the town's surfaces being cleaner after being rinsed off than they were before the event.[11][12]

Since 2002 participation in the event has been restricted to the 20,000 holders of paid tickets. In 2015, it was estimated that almost 145,000 kg (320,000 lb) of tomatoes were thrown.[11]

The city council prescribes a short list of instructions for the safety of the participants and the festival:[13]

  1. Do not throw anything but tomatoes
  2. Do not tear clothes
  3. Squash tomatoes before throwing them to avoid hurting others
  4. Keep a safe distance from trucks
  5. Stop throwing tomatoes after the second starter pistol shot
  6. Follow the directions of security staff
  7. Only throw tomatoes at targets you can see, to avoid hurting others
  8. Do not throw tomatoes directly at buildings
  9. Have a great, fun time!

In other countries

[edit]
Throwing tomatoes from a truck

La Tomatina Buñol has inspired similar celebrations in other parts of the world:

  • Since 1982, the town of Twin Lakes, Colorado has held a tomato fight called the "Colorado-Texas Tomato War," in which Texans and Coloradans square off. The Coloradans also attempt to overtake the Texans' straw Alamo effigy, generally succeeding.
  • Since 2004 the Colombian town of Sutamarchán holds a similar event on 15 June when a surplus of tomatoes is harvested.[14]
  • In Costa Rica the town of San José de Trojas in the San Pedro district of Sarchí canton (Alajuela Province) celebrates a Tomatina during the local Tomato Fair.[15]
  • In the town of Dongguan in southern Guangdong in China, a tomato fight is held on 19 October, during which they use up to 15 tonnes of tomatoes.[15]
  • The City of Reno, Nevada in the United States also has an annual hour-long tomato fight that started in 2009. The event seems to take place on the last Sunday of August and is organized by the American Cancer Society. Organizers named the festival La Tomatina, and give full credit for the idea to the Spanish festival.[14]
  • In the Indian state of Karnataka, the Karnataka Government banned the hosting of such a Tomatina event in Bangalore and Mysore, after private organizers tried to organize one. Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda is quoted as saying: "In the name of 'La Tomatina' festival, permission should not be granted to waste tomatoes". A similar plan in Delhi was cancelled after received negative response from the public.[16]
  • Funtasia Island, Patna hosted a similar La tomatina Holi event on 26 March 2013 at Funtasia Water Park in Patna, India.[17]
[edit]

See also

[edit]

Similar festivals

Events in Spain

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Magazine, Smithsonian; Geiling, Natasha. "Photos from La Tomatina, the World's Biggest Food Fight". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. ^ Fine, Camille. "'World's largest food fight': Best photos from 'Tomatina' tomato street fight in Spain". USA TODAY. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  3. ^ "La Tomatina – The World's biggest and most famous food fight". www.latomatinatours.com. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  4. ^ Barr, Sabrina (28 August 2019). "What is La Tomatina, how did it begin and where does it take place?". The Independent. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
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  6. ^ Donaldson, Emma (13 July 2020). "La Tomatina Festival 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19". idealista. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Buñol suspende La Tomatina 2021 (Buñol suspends La Tomatina 2021)". buol.es (in Spanish). Ayuntamiento de Bunyol (Bunyol Town Hall). 11 March 2021. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  8. ^ "La Tomatina – Página oficial".
  9. ^ SpanishFiesta.org (14 September 2022). "La Tomatina". Spanish Fiesta. SpanishFiesta.org.
  10. ^ Mullins, Deirdre (26 June 2009). "La Tomatina". RTÉ News. RTE.
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  16. ^ "Bangalore's Tomatina festival cancelled". NDTV 24x7. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  17. ^ "Splash of La Tomatina adds to park revelry – Funmakers get drenched in tomatoes instead of gulal ahead of festival". Calcutta Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013.
  18. ^ "Abhay Deol goes topless!". Hindustan Times. 31 May 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  19. ^ "Check out: Hrithik, Katrina, Farhan & Abhay shooting for Tomatina fest in Spain". Bollywood Hungama. 19 March 2011. Archived from the original on 28 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  20. ^ On location: ‘Walking on Sunshine’, Joanne O'Connor, 27 June 2014, Financial Times
  21. ^ "Al Rojo Vivo | A Mickey Mouse Cartoon | Disney Shorts". Youtube. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
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39°25′10″N 0°47′26″W / 39.41944°N 0.79056°W / 39.41944; -0.79056

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