This is how Spain’s famous La Tomatina festival began with a casual oversight

One of the most internationally known festivals, La Tomatina, Spain's ultimate tomato throwing festival, takes place this Wednesday, August 28th in the Valencia region.

Several trucks will transport more than 150 tons of tomatoes to Buñol, where they will be used today at 12 noon by thousands of participants in the famous street battle that has taken place in the town every year since 1945, except during the global coronavirus pandemic.

So where does La Tomatina de Buñol come from? It all began on the last Wednesday of August 1945 with a group of young people who were in the town square to watch the parade of giants and big heads and other events of the festival. The young people wanted to take part, but they caused one of the big heads to fall. In a fit of rage, he started hitting everything in his path.

By a twist of fate, there was a vegetable stall on site, which the angry crowd used as a defense. They began throwing all kinds of fruit and vegetables at each other until the authorities put an end to the impromptu battle. The following year, the young people returned to Buñol to repeat the confrontation, but this time voluntarily and with their own tomatoes.

Forbidden

In the early 1950s, La Tomatina was banned, but this did not deter participants, who were even arrested. People were not happy with this and the festival was allowed again, but this time with more and more participants and more and more wild activities. The fun did not last long, however, as it was cancelled again until 1957. That same year, as a sign of protest, the Burial of the Tomato was held. A demonstration in which locals carried a coffin with a large tomato inside.

The parade was accompanied by a brass band playing funeral marches and was a great success. In the end, La Tomatina was approved and the festival was officially launched. Since then, the number of participants and their enthusiasm has increased year after year. The coincidence of these young people who unknowingly made history led to La Tomatina de Buñol being declared a Festival of International Tourist Interest in 2002.

The Tomato Child

In order for the little ones to enjoy the Valencian festival as much as the adults, without taking any risks, the Tomatina Infantil was created in 2013. It is reserved for children aged four to 14 and takes place on the last Saturday in August. This tomato fight lasts approximately 30 to 40 minutes. The same rules apply as the original Tomatina, but the children's version is free.