La Tomatina of Buñol
August 29th 2007
Spain is gaining quite a reputation for its festivals, with famous traditions such as the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona and the "Burial of the Sardine" in Madrid, where spectactors dress up and run down the street chasing a papier-mache sardine. Now it´s time for the "Tomatina", a pulpy mess of fun and festivities taking place in the quiet town of Buñol, Valencia. This "tomato war" certainly ranks as one of the best in Spain; in fact, the population of Buñol will quadruple during this time, literally painting the town a gooey shade of red.
This unique tradition began in 1945, supposedly resulting from a food fight in a restaurant in which passers-by decided to join. The fight was apparently so enjoyable that it was repeated the following year, and on every year that followed, eventually becoming an annual phenomenon as well as one of the most well-known events in the world. In fact, it eventually gained so much interest that the international media arrive in Buñol every year to provide global coverage. In 2002, the event won the Festival of International Tourist Interest award.
The Tomatina begins at 10am, signalled by the firing of water cannons. A hour of madness then follows, with both sides hammering each other with overripe tomatoes (usually squashed a little before thrown to prevent injury). The mayhem is stopped with the water cannons exactly an hour later, and the annual clean-up begins with the hosing down of the streets and the victims.
The festival is also represents the Buñol Fair and the festivals of the local saints Sant Lluis Bertran and Charca de Déu dels Desemparats (Mother of the God of the Defenceless), which will take place from August 22nd until September 1.
Read more at www.oneplanettravel.com
(Photo by Aaron Corey)
This unique tradition began in 1945, supposedly resulting from a food fight in a restaurant in which passers-by decided to join. The fight was apparently so enjoyable that it was repeated the following year, and on every year that followed, eventually becoming an annual phenomenon as well as one of the most well-known events in the world. In fact, it eventually gained so much interest that the international media arrive in Buñol every year to provide global coverage. In 2002, the event won the Festival of International Tourist Interest award.The Tomatina begins at 10am, signalled by the firing of water cannons. A hour of madness then follows, with both sides hammering each other with overripe tomatoes (usually squashed a little before thrown to prevent injury). The mayhem is stopped with the water cannons exactly an hour later, and the annual clean-up begins with the hosing down of the streets and the victims.
The festival is also represents the Buñol Fair and the festivals of the local saints Sant Lluis Bertran and Charca de Déu dels Desemparats (Mother of the God of the Defenceless), which will take place from August 22nd until September 1.
Read more at www.oneplanettravel.com
(Photo by Aaron Corey)