WHY EVERYBODY SHOULD GO TO LA TOMATINA FESTIVAL AT LEAST ONCE

We are sure that everyone at least once in life have heard about LA TOMATINA, also known as the tomato throwing festival.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

 

This unique, crazy and absurd festival was born at the last Wednesday of August 1945 during a street parade of enormous figures with big heads (Gigantes y Cabezudos) when some young people started to pelt everyone with vegetables from a nearby market stall, until the police ended that vegetable battle. One year later, these young people brought tomatoes from home to start another tomato fight in the same place and in the same last Wednesday of August. The police tried to ban the tomato fight but the popularity of the event continued to grow up year after year.

TOMATINA AROUND THE WORLD

 

Due to its success la Tomatina was declared Festivity of International Tourist Interest by The Secretary Department of Tourism in 2002. Even Google, on the day of tomatina, wants to celebrate this festival with a personalized Google Doodle.

As a result of the success, the festival has been recreated all around the world like in China or in Colombia but the real and authentic one is in Spain because, as we know, Spanish people are specialists to create crazy and funny events: you will never get bored with them!

The Tomatina festival takes place in Buñol, just 40 km away from Valencia, every year at the last Wednesday of August at 11:00 am with the detonation of a firework.

The fight is only for one hour but 150,00 over-ripe tomatoes are splattered. Don’t worry, these tomatoes are never going to be eaten for their low quality!

Do not miss the opportunity to win a jamon!

Before the tomato fight, at 10:00 am a jamon is hung up on the top of a slippery pole in the town square: the goal is to climb that pole and get the jamon. Would you want to try? Maybe you will be the lucky one.

SOME TIPS AND RULES

 

After historical and general informations we want to give you some rules and tips to go well prepared to la Tomatina in order to enjoy this crazy and unique festival.

RULES:

• do not enter bottles or hard objects that could cause accident or damages.
• squash the tomatoes before throwing them, the hit will be less painful.
• keep a safe distance from the lorries.
• do not tear or throw your or others t-shirt.
• stop to throw tomatoes when you hear the second shot that announces the end of the battle.
• follow security and staff directions.
• entrance is not allowed to anyone with a backpack, bag, camara or any other object that may cause harm.

TIPS TO SURVIVE:

 

• show up early, it will be very crowded.
• bring swimming goggles, tomato juice is acid and is painful for your eyes.
• wear clothes and shoes which will not wear ever again!
• possibly wear a white t-shirt to see the effects of the battle.
• don’t wear flip flops.
• protect your mobile phone from tomato juice and water with a proper plastic bag.
• stay hydrated, it’s very hot in August here.
• the last but not the least: HAVE A LOT OF FUN!

NOT JUST A TOMATO FIGHT

 

Tomatina is an opportunity to meet interesting people from all over the world and it is a chance to know a little more about spanish traditional “fiesta de pueblo” because the battle is only for one day, but the Buñol festival is celebrated for all the week, as like in other towns during the summer, with parades, paella and fireworks.

At the end of this crazy battle you will be dirty and maybe your smell will be not as flowers but apparently tomatoes will benefit your skin because is a natural disinfectant and, the most important thing, you will have been a part of something uncommon and different and of course funny.

 

You have to participate once in your life! Don’t miss it!