PP Travel Blog
6 Unusual Facts about La Tomatina
La Tomatina is undeniably the world's biggest food fight but there is much more to the fiesta than just tomatoes. Check out these (mostly) unknown facts about the fiesta.
- Whilst the modern regulated festival uses only tomatoes as missiles, the fiesta began back in 1945 with many different vegetables being flung about. Some say it was disgruntled town inhabitants and businessmen throwing anything they could get their hands on from the local farmer's markets at the unpopular passing councilmen. Some say it was youths knocking over a parade of big headed puppets that began the chaos. Either way, town elders agree, it wasn't always tomatoes that were being thrown.
- Whilst the general consensus is that the festival runs for only an hour that's not exactly true. In the week leading up to the last Wednesday of August each year, in Bunol, there are many parades, events, fireworks and cooking competitions including massive Paella cook offs.
- The fiesta officially begins when a ham is retrieved from atop a greasy pole in the main town square which is why there is no official start time to the event.
- There was a song in the 2011 Bollywood film "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" where the La Tomatina festival was re-created opening the festival up to a whole new range of enthusiasts from the sub-continent.
- The streets of Bunol are some of the cleanest in the country thanks to the acidic "disinfectant" effect the tomatoes have on the towns cobblestoned thoroughfares.
- Bunol's population swells from 9000 to 30000 on the day of the tomato battle. As there is only one hotel in the town most people stay in the nearby city of Valencia.
#latomatina #tomatofight #tomato #funfacts
Posted: 06 May 2017 07:04:15 GMT by MarkAs those of us that threw and enjoyed La Tomatina 2024 have headed to the showers, next year's crazy event is now on sale! PP Travel was again the biggest operator to the tomato fight, which was a sell out. So NOW is the time to start plannin ... read more
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