2008 News Archive - Holidays - Tomato squishing Spaniards
06 08 2007
The end of this month heralds one of Spain's most infamous - and wackiest - of summer events, La Tomatina.
Usually documented by media from around the world, La Tomatina should be familiar to the Brits as the tomato throwing festival, when Spaniards indulge in the traditional past time of hurling slightly overripe tomatoes at each other.
A unique spectacle to all tourists, the giant food-throwing event takes place in Bunyol, a village with just 9,000 inhabitants in the Valencia region.
On the last Wednesday in August - the 29th this year - 30,000 people are expected to join in the festivities in the main plaza, pummelling each other with the red fruit.
Few rules exist at the event other than only tomatoes can be thrown and that they must be squished before they are launched into the crowd. Likely to provide an exciting and unusual holiday activity, visitors to the village are sure to have a memorable time.
The tomato was introduced to Europe by Spain, as it is easy to grow in the Mediterranean climate.