La Tomatina: Spain's Tomato Festival

La Tomatina is a festival in Buñol, Spain where participants throw tomatoes. It started the last Wednesday of August in 1945.

A parade participant lost a Big-head figure and raged. People pelted each other with tomatoes from a market stall.

Francisco Franco banned it in the early 1950s. They held a tomato funeral instead.

Dongguan holds a tomato fight using that much fruit.

Before the battle, participants climb a greased pole to drop ham.

Since 2013 participation requires paid tickets. Buñol's population is about 9,000. The limit is 20,000 holders.

In 2015 almost 145,000 kg of tomatoes were thrown. The fight lasts about one hour. Fire trucks hosed down streets.

On August 27, 2025 over 22,000 joined the 80th anniversary. Squash tomatoes before throwing. Squashing them is apparently mandatory etiquette.