La Tomatina festival in Spain gives new meaning to the expression ‘playing with your food’. For most of the year Bunol is a ho-hum industrial town, 40km (25mi) from Valencia, quietly going about its own business. But come the last Wednesday of August, the town’s streets turns into a salsa riot, with over 20,000 people hitting each other with large, red, squishy tomatoes.
There are lots of theories on the origin of the festival. Some say it began in 1945 with anti-Franco protests, although that remains ambiguous. Another theory is that it started when two friends had a stand-up discussion while sharing a meal. The argument quickly reached food-throwing proportions, infected acquaintances and nearby diners, moved out into the street, spread through the suburbs, progressed to towns in the neighborhood and eventually became an annual event that attracted “tomatoes throwers” from every corner in the world.
Like gangs of adolescents anywhere, it soon became a point of honor and a mark of tribal loyalty to make a stand at the tomato-stained barriers. As the event became a national event it lost its hostile political connotation and became, an uncontrolled Dionysian riot of flesh-baring bodies covered head to toe in tomato juice.
The standard uniform is an old T-shirt, old shorts and goggles to protect the eyes. T-shirts with bullseyes (targets) printed on them are not recommended. Nearly 140 tons of tomatoes are carried in from around the countryside and the tomato-battle begins with the firing of a rocket. An hour later the end of the festival is announced with the firing of another rocket and the clean up of the tomato-slimed streets begin.
What is La Tomatina?
The Tomatina is only one of the celebration of a week long festival with musical bands, fireworks, food, and over all fun. This is a war were there are expected to be no winners, but where all have fun.
Where is it?
La Tomatina takes place in Buñol, a small town 25 km (about 30 miles) west of Valencia and well connected by train and bus.
When does it take place?
On the last Wednesday of August, at the peak of tomato season, between 10 am and 1 pm. Everybody enjoys and the streets turn into rivers of tomato juice.
Source: http://www.latomatina.org/
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPQCH1b_LgE]