Blog-post

Spain, the land of fiestas, bursts into life as diverse regions of the country unite in exuberant celebration, honouring their rich cultural heritage through vibrant occasions. Among the array of festivities, one iconic event stands out: La Tomatina, the renowned tomato throwing festival of Spain.
This extraordinary festival, which has captured the enthusiasm of people around the globe in recent times, boasts a captivating origin story that is truly one-of-a-kind. As the streets of Spain transform into a sea of red tomatoes, the history behind this tradition is equally fascinating.

Join us as we delve into the captivating narrative of La Tomatina, a festival that not only celebrates the joy of camaraderie but also showcases the remarkable ways in which cultures come together to create unforgettable memories!

What is the La Tomatina festival?

It is the world’s biggest food fight where more than 100 metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets, every year, on the last Wednesday of August in the historic town of Bunol, near Valencia in Spain. This year the festival is being held on the 30th of August.

Before 2013, Bunol was thronged by approx. 40,000-50,000 tourists participated in the festival, thus pushing the limits of the small town to accommodate everyone. Since 2013, an official ticket system has been in place limiting the number of participants to just 20,000. Booking for La Tomatina opens in advance, weeks before the festival and only those who purchase the ticket earlier, get to be the lucky ones participating in the event.

Bunol’s population is only 9000 people and there is limited accommodation for people who come to attend the festival, so a lot of tourists look for accommodation options in nearby Valencia, which is just 38kms from Bunol and can be easily accessed by bus or train.

We know that the La Tomatina festival involves throwing over-ripe tomatoes on the streets and on each other. But, here’s a little more detail about the whole chaotic mess. At 11 am on the day of the event, many trucks haul tons of tomatoes into the center of the town at the Plaza del Pueblo, which comes from Extremadura, where the price of the tomatoes is less expensive. The festival is ideally expected to start when one person is brave enough to climb to the top of a two-story high greased wooden pole known as Palojabon and bring down the prized ham that is stuck to it.

Since this task ends up taking time, the festival more often than not starts despite no one reaching the prize. The food fight begins with the firing of water cannons as a signal, and then there is no looking back. Residents and shopkeepers put huge plastic covers in front of their homes and stores to protect them from the mess.

After one hour of the fight, a signal shot is fired to end the fight. At this point, no more tomatoes can be thrown and the cleaning process starts which involves the use of fire trucks to hose down the streets with water. Some participants often find themselves being hosed down by some kind residents, while others head to the Bunol River to wash themselves. Once the tomato pulp from the streets is flushed, the ground is clean due to the acidity of the tomato.

Throwing tons of tomatoes in a city-wide food fight might strike some as wasteful, but the festival has purposes other than pure entertainment. La Tomatina only uses tomatoes that are deemed unfit for consumption and would otherwise be thrown away, so the festival reduces waste.

So how did La Tomatina start?

While people are not completely certain about how the festival originated, the event has been carried on every year since 1944. Some stories suggest that it all started with either a local food fight amongst friends, tomatoes thrown at a carnival parade by bystanders, a juvenile class war, or the aftermath of an accidental lorry spillage. Whatever caused the unfurling of the event, it was enjoyed so much that it was repeated the next year and the year after, and so on.
While there is no religious significance to the festival, it is celebrated in honour of Bunol’s patron saints Luis Bertran and the Mare de Deu dels Desemparats (Mother of God of the Defenseless), a title of Virgin Mary.

Tickets to La Tomatina

Buying a ticket to the festival is important as entry is denied to the event without it. One can go to the festival’s website and purchase a ticket. Though tickets sell out online weeks before the event, you can often grab last-minute tickets from touts in Valencia. The ticket price is 1200 Euros; however, it can vary depending on the other services you want. For example, you could pay up to 4200 Euros for a package that includes a La Tomatina ticket + bus from Valencia + after-party entrance.

Do’s and Don’ts and other useful tips

• Do not bring bottles or hard objects as they can cause accidents and hurt other participants
• Do not rip other people’s T-shirts
• You must squash the tomatoes before throwing them as this reduces the impact
• Ensure you keep a safe distance from the lorries
• As soon as you hear the second shot, you must stop throwing tomatoes
• Wear closed shoes that you do not mind throwing away afterward. If you wear flip-flops or slippers you may get hurt, or you could lose them easily during the battle
• Wear old clothes, or clothes that you are not planning to wear again. They will most likely end up damaged from being ripped or incredibly dirty
• You may find goggles useful. However, it is safer if you just ensure that you always have something clean to wipe your eyes with
• While it is advisable to leave your camera behind as it can break or get damaged, however, if you are planning to take pictures, bring a waterproof camera or cover up your camera carefully!
• If you want to stay overnight, don’t forget to look for and secure accommodation in advance either in Bunol or in Valencia.

Once you have secured your La Tomatina festival ticket, you must apply for the Spanish visa next. BLS International helps makes applications for the same, a cakewalk. With application centres across the globe, you can now apply for a visa to Spain literally from any part of the country (check out our list of centres on our website BLS international | Explore the Global Presence of BLS. Enjoy a smooth and hassle-free visa application experience along with a quick turnaround time, with the help of our seamless visa application services and our expert visa agents. Know more about us by visiting our website Global Online Visa Application Outsource Service Provider (blsinternational.com).

So, what are you waiting for? Hurry! Grab your tickets online today as the 30th of August is just around the corner! Don’t miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Stay safe and enjoy the festivities as much as possible!