La Tomatina in Buñol

Background

La Tomatina began on the last Wednesday of August 1945; accounts of how it started vary, but it has been repeated every year since, becoming Buñol's late-summer festival. To control numbers, tickets have been required since 2013, with participation capped at around 20,000. The morning opens with the palo jabón: participants climb on each other's shoulders to scale a greased pole and reach a ham at the top, while hoses soak the crowd. At midday a cannon fires, trucks bring loads of ripe tomatoes into the Plaza del Pueblo and the surrounding streets, and the battle begins; it must stop at the second cannon shot about an hour later. Fire hoses then wash down the streets, and the town carries on celebrating.

Local customs

• Climbing the greased pole for the ham
• the tomato trucks rolling in
• the one-hour tomato battle
• the hosing-down and street party afterwards

Travel tips

• La Tomatina is fixed on the last Wednesday of August every year, starting at midday and lasting about an hour
• arrangements are subject to announcement by Buñol Town Council. Since 2013 a ticket has been required to enter the battle area and numbers are limited
• tickets are subject to official announcement. Buñol is not far from Valencia and can be reached by train or bus
• allow plenty of time, as it is very crowded on the day.

2027 schedule

• The last Wednesday of August 2027 is 25 August, and La Tomatina is expected at midday that day
• arrangements are subject to official announcement.