spain |
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Clockwise from left : View of Buñol
and the church of San Pedro
Apóstol ; two attendees in the
midst of the festival ; getting into
the swing of things at La Tomatina
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images : alamy |
Previous pages : A reveler covered
in tomato pulp
WHAT IS LA TOMATINA ?
Every year on the last Wednesday of August , the small Spanish town of Buñol — a medieval settlement located 24 miles west of the coastal city of Valencia — hosts the largest tomato-throwing festival on the planet . All under the fierce summer sun of eastern Spain , Buñol ’ s narrow , cobbled streets become the battleground for an epic , one-hour food fight , where more than 20,000 people and around 100 tons of tomatoes — grown specially for the event and shipped in from farms all over Spain — descend upon the town .
The scale of the fight is so vast that , by the end , the quaint Valencian town is left flowing with rivers of tomato pulp so thick that only a convoy of fire trucks , with their powerful hoses , can clean up the mess . Meanwhile , the thousands of participants — covered head to toe in rotting tomato guts — wash off in the nearby river before enjoying a day of festive verbenas , or street parties , with live music , dancing and giant paellas .
How La Tomatina – dubbed the world ’ s biggest food fight — came to be is a little murky . Some say it began as an impromptu food fight among friends , while others believe its origins lie in an alcohol-fueled
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feud during one of the town ’ s religious festivals . Either way , the first mention of the food fight dates back to the mid-20th century . The most popular theory is that in August of 1945 , a fight broke out in Buñol during the festival of Gigantes y Cabezudos ( Giants and Big Heads ), where papier-mache giants and folk wearing enlarged papiermache heads parade through the streets . The story goes that a group of young people pushed their way into the procession , causing someone to fall . Chaos ensued and , with a fruit stand nearby , the angry crowds began throwing tomatoes at each other .
The following year , the same mischievous group returned to the parade — this time armed with their own tomatoes . The food fight continued year after year , until finally being recognized as an official celebration in 1952 . The festival was banned briefly in the 1970s during Francoist Spain for having no religious significance , but soon returned after the dictatorship ended . Today , it ’ s held in honor of the town ’ s patron saint , St . Louis Bertrand , and the Mare de Deu dels Desemparats ( Mother of God of the Defenseless ) as part of a week-long celebration filled with parades , fireworks and traditional food from the region .
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Top five : festival TIPS
Squash the tomatoes
1 before throwing them Whole tomatoes hurled at you with force can leave a surprisingly big bruise . Be sure to squash the tomato first before throwing it to avoid hurting others . Wear clothes you
2 don ’ t mind losing La Tomatina gets very messy — that ’ s the point ! Many people throw their shoes and clothes away after the festival . Although it ’ s technically against the rules , T-shirt ripping is also common , so be prepared that some clothing might not to survive the event . Wear closed-toe shoes
3 Tomato pulp makes for a very slippery surface . Avoid wearing flip-flops or sandals and opt for closed-toe shoes with a good grip instead . These will also protect you from people standing on your toes . Keep valuables at home
4 Phones , cameras , passports and cash don ’ t mix well with tomato juice . If you want to take your phone or camera , make sure you invest in a waterproof case . Book accommodations
5 well in advance If you ’ re planning on staying in Buñol , accommodations sell out quickly . Many people stay in nearby Valencia instead , where there are a plenty of options , suiting every price range . |
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