What is La Tomatina?
The Spanish festival La Tomatina, which is locally known as the Battle of the Tomato, may not be as well-known as Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls, but it’s just as much of a spectacle. This red extravaganza is annually the final Wednesday of August on the narrow cobble-stoned streets of Buñol, with more than 22,000 revellers pelting one another with 140 tons of ripe tomatoes in an hour-long fruit-filled frenzy.
We have seen the COVID-19 has almost drenched away the excitement, but this year Spain is expecting millions of revelers at La Tomatina 2022. So La Tomatina is back! This year, this colourful fiesta is celebrating its 75th anniversary on August 31. And while the tomato battle is certainly the highlight, there are all sorts of activities leading up to the main event, including paella cook-offs, street parades, verbenas (open-air parties), and alluring fireworks.
Celebration Begins
La Tomatina will begin early this Wednesday, with crowds arriving to Buñol by train and bus. You have to just follow the masses to the city center and join the sangria parties along the way. Around 10 AM in the town’s main square, Plaza del Pueblo, there’s the pre-battle ritual known as el palo jabón, where a ham is hoisted to the top of a pole slicked with soap and people struggle to climb up and pull it down. The massive food fight starts at 11 AM as the booming water cannon signals the kickoff—as huge trucks loaded with tomatoes dump the over-ripe fruit into the streets.
For the next hour, scoop up as many tomatoes as you can and hurl them at your fellow festival-goers. The end of the event is marked with another boom, then the tomato-soaked crowds queue up to shower off. The firefighters come in to hose down the streets and in less than an hour things are pretty much back to normal. This street party continues throughout the afternoon, with live music, dancing, and plenty of sangria being served in plazas around the town.
What to do in Buñol?
Buñol is a small and peaceful medieval town attracting hundred of revelers. If you’re planning a holiday in Spain, you can plan for a couple of days for Buñol. Getting there is fairly easy as it’s about 38 kilometers from the main city of Valencia, which is easily accessible by road, sea and air. However, take your time and drive to Valencia from Barcelona. The scene is breathtaking, awesome and the roads are quite good.
In terms of things to do there, discover the beautiful natural wonders such as Alta Cave, Turche Cave and Juanes River where there is a 60-meter waterfall. Another interesting spot is its 13th century castle and the El Salvador church, which are the quarters of the town’s archaeological museum. From a historic and culture perspective, Buñol definitely ranks high.
What to wear
- Wear old clothes and closed-in shoes with decent grip
- Also wear a pair of swimming goggles to protect your eyes
- Ski goggles will also work
- Leave your hat behind
- Women wear a tight sports bra or a crop-style bikini top
- Wear swim bottoms underneath.
