Spain’s Tomatina: From a child’s prank to a global tomato festival

Spain’s La Tomatina, the world’s most famous food fight, marks its 80th year in 2025. What began as a small street prank has grown into an international event drawing thousands of participants every August. Here’s what makes it so unique:

Origins and growth

The festival is held every year on the last Wednesday of August in the town of Bunol, Spain. Its roots go back to 1945, when local children started pelting each other with tomatoes during a street quarrel. The spontaneous fight caught on and soon became a yearly tradition.

In the 1950s, Spanish dictator Francisco Franco banned the festival, dismissing it as wasteful and lacking cultural value. Locals resisted the decision, and eventually, the tomato battle returned. By the 1980s, with the help of televised coverage, Tomatina had become a national sensation and later drew international attention. In 2002, Spain officially recognised it as a festival of international tourism interest.

The only interruptions came in 2020 and 2021, when the pandemic forced a suspension.

Tomatoes grown only for fighting

A key detail: the tomatoes used are not edible. They are specially cultivated for the festival in towns like Don Benito and are considered unsuitable for consumption. According to Bunol’s deputy mayor Sergio Galarza, “If Tomatina didn’t exist, these tomatoes wouldn’t even be grown.”

Rules of play

Unlike sports, there are no teams, points or referees. The only rule is simple: squash the tomato before throwing it to avoid injuries. Still, participants often wear goggles and earplugs for safety. The fight lasts exactly one hour, signalled by a cannon shot.

By the end, people find themselves ankle-deep in tomato puree, exhausted from throwing and dodging. Clothes are ruined, but the streets get surprisingly clean. Citric acid from tomatoes works as a natural cleaner, often leaving Bunol’s streets shining after the washdown.

Global inspirations

The festival has inspired tomato fights in London, Florida, Amsterdam, Colombia and even Hyderabad, India. Yet for locals like Galarza, Tomatina remains inseparable from Bunol. For them, it’s not just a messy battle but a celebration of joy, tradition and community spirit.