Spanish town prepares for world-renowned La Tomatina festival

One of the most internationally recognised festivals, La Tomatina, Spain's ultimate tomato throwing fiesta will take place this Wednesday 30 August in the Valencia region of the country.

Multiple lorries will transport more than 100 tonnes of tomatoes to Buñol where, at 12 noon the thousands of participants will use them in the famous street battle that has taken place in the town every year since 1945, apart from during the worldwide coronavirus health pandemic.

La Tomatina was established on the last Wednesday of August of that year during a parade of 'giants and bigheads'. Some local youths decided to take part in it, and some of the partygoers got angry when one participant's bighead fell off. There was a small dispute near a vegetable stand. It escalated to the point that people reached for tomatoes at the stand and started pelting each other with them, until the police ended the conflict.

Nowadays Guardia Civil, Local Police officers and members of private security services, as well as volunteers, monitor the party each year to ensure it takes place in the safest possible way.