The Tomatina Festival of Buñol
The world's largest and juiciest food fight takes place the last Wednesday of August - not an event for the faint-hearted or tomato intolerant!
It’s tomato season and with it comes the surplus that just doesn’t make the grade on supermarket shelves. Oh, what to do with all those mushy, bruised, misshapen and marked tommies?
Throw a party of course!
Which is what they’ve been doing in Buñol since 1945, minus a few years back in the 1950s when Franco thought it wasn’t religious enough to warrant so much fun.
40km west of the city of Valencia lies a beautiful, albeit quiet, village of around 9900 inhabitants surrounded by mountains of caves, river pools and waterfalls, and protected by a stunning 13th century castle.
Every last Wednesday in August the population explodes to tens of thousands as busloads of tourists pile out into the streets to take part in the Tomatina Festival.
They arrive early in the morning dressed in old clothes, shoes they’re happy to part with later that day, and protective plastic pockets for their phones.
Breakfast is a few large plastic cups of sangria before heading to the Main Square and Calle del Cid at 10am to attempt the slippery climb up the Palo Jabon (soap pole) to nab the leg of ham hanging at the top.
This takes a lot of skill and determination as one tenacious soul after another throws themselves into the task. T-shirts and rags are used to wipe the pole as they move up higher, climbing over one another monkey-like while the crowd below cheers them on. The excitement grows as they get closer and if someone is finally successful, it is a momentous event.
However, the ham is rarely claimed before the dumper trucks roll in at midday with their cargo of tomatoes – more than 200,000kg according to most sources. Though many of the tomatoes are rejects, the majority of the tomatoes are grown specifically for this fiesta to ensure there is enough.
At 12 sharp, the gunshot goes off that signals the beginning of the food fight. Then it’s a free for all. Participants have one hour exactly to hurl as many tomatoes as possible at each other, turning the square and street into a virtual blood bath.
The red meaty slop of the tomatoes looks remarkably like the blood and guts in a Hollywood movie depicting the aftermath on a battleground. The carnage stops when the gunshot is heard again at 13.00 and there is time to bathe in the juices before the clean-up crew arrives.
Fire trucks with hoses and volunteers with brooms sweep the salsa down the drains and wash down the plastic sheeting that has been hung up to protect the homes. Everyone else heads back to their hotel or down to the river to wash off.
The fight works up an appetite, so the next port of call is a plate of paella at one of the many stands set up in the streets. More sangria washes it down, then people move off for an afternoon siesta before the evening activities.
The origins of this bizarre fiesta are hazy. There are many different versions ranging from a dispute during a local festival to naughty children throwing tomatoes at each other. But whatever kicked off the tradition has turned it into a popular tourist event that has been declared of “International Touristic Interest” and attracts people from all over the world.
For those who prefer to wear their tomatoes than eat them, tickets can be bought online from 15 euros and includes paella and sangria. Around 25,000 tickets are sold, but of course many more come to watch rather than participate. Once in Buñol, you exchange your ticket for the official wristband for access to the fight.
Accommodation in Buñol is obviously limited at this time, but a day trip from Valencia also gives you time to enjoy the natural surroundings. The Ruta del Agua is a circular route that takes you to the Turche Cave and river pools, or in town you can check out the archaeological museum , the Tomatina Museum, the Freemasons Cemetery, or the Parque de San Luis with views over the Buñol River. And of course, don’t forget a visit to the medieval castle!
A few rules and tips to consider before participating in the Tomatina.
Don’t take glass bottles or anything else that can break and cause damage to yourself and others.
Don’t tear your or anyone else’s t-shirt
Squish the tomatoes to soften them before throwing.
Stop throwing as soon as the gunshot goes off.
Wear old clothes you are happy to ruin.
Wear shoes that have a good grip – not flip flops or other flimsy shoes that can come off during the fight.
Goggles are a really good idea because tomato in the eyes isn’t fun.
Protect cameras and phones.
Book accommodation in advance if you plan to stay in the village.
The centre of the town will be closed to cars from 7am, so if you wish to park nearby, come early.
There is a children’s version of the Tomatina the Saturday before, for kids 4-14.
Most important, have fun. :)