Written by United Planet Team Member Alyssa
Photo by Flickr user Jorge S. King
For those of you currently in the Valencia region of Spain, make sure you have a change of clothes and your goggles ready! As the last Wednesday in August, the famous “Tomatina” tomato fight will be held today in the city of Buñol.
Starting late in the morning, a greased pole is raised holding a ham at the top. Participants then fight to get the ham off of the top climbing their way up in any way possible. When the ham is finally removed, water cannons are fired signaling the start of the main event. Thousands of tomatoes are brought into the square and are thrown by participants at any available target. For about an hour, all you will see are tomatoes flying and spatters of red all over the square. Eventually, a second blast is fired from the water cannon signaling the end of the fight. At that point, the party continues throughout the city with music, parades, dancing, and fireworks.
Photo by Flickr user manuesco1946
This event is believed to have started in 1945 and has many theories on why it began. Some include a food fight among friends, a parade being pelted with tomatoes, a bad musician being hit with tomatoes causing a frenzy, or even the aftermath of a truck spill. The event has been carried on over the years, stopping only during the reign of dictator Francisco Franco, and beginning again after his death. Recently, the event has drawn nearly 40,000 visitors to Buñol to participate in the festivities.
Photo by Flickr user elyoshimura
Some suggestions to people traveling in for the day:
– Definitely bring a change of clothes if you are coming in to the event by local transportation. The drivers of buses and trains will not allow travelers on with dirty clothes.
– Goggles are highly recommended. The acidic tomato juice is not a fun thing to have enter your eye which is bound to happen with thousands of tomatoes flying.
– Wear shoes that will protect your feet and have a good grip. As you can imagine, tomatoes get very slippery.
– Have fun! There are no winners and no losers, just lots of friendly people looking to have a good time.
If you can’t make it to Buñol this year, stop by on the last Wednesday of August next year and it will happen all over again!
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