La Tomatina Festival Brings 22,000 Tomato-Drenched Tourists to Spain

Reporter

August 29, 2025 | 09:06 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The annual La Tomatina Festival returned to Buñol, Spain, on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. Thousands of people from around the world flooded the small town to celebrate the festival.

Reported by The Independent, about 120 tons of tomatoes were thrown onto the streets to be used as projectile weapons among the participants. Buildings along the festival's location were draped with tarpaulins for protection. Most of the approximately 22,000 participants in the tomato war wore swim goggles and earplugs to protect themselves.

The streets of Buñol instantly turned into a wet and slippery red sea, resembling a large bowl of tomato soup. Participants laughed, slipped, threw tomatoes at each other, and mingled without boundaries of age, race, or language, all immersed in the unified chaos.

This year, La Tomatina adopted the theme of "Tomaterapia" or "Tomato Therapy," reflecting the resilience of the community after the severe flood in Spain in October 2024.

The tomato battle lasted for an hour. The official event began after a ham was taken from the top of a greased pole by a participant, and ended when the second set of warning fireworks was heard. The participants then gathered at communal showers to cleanse themselves from the thick tomato muck up to their ankles.

Palestinian Flag

This year's La Tomatina also became a stage for solidarity. A local left-wing party supported the actions of people who raised the Palestinian flag and displayed banners rejecting Israel's military campaign in Gaza. This action was carried out peacefully, showing that public space and culture can serve as a means to convey messages of peace, even in the midst of a tomato festival.

The history of La Tomatina began on the last Wednesday of August 1945 when a boy fell from a parade and crashed into a vegetable stand. This incident sparked a commotion that eventually escalated into a tomato battle, which led the local government to intervene. The event has been repeated annually. However, the Spanish government only officially recognized it as an international tourist attraction in 2002.

Specially Grown Tomatoes

This year's tomatoes came from Don Benito, a town more than five hours away. Hundreds of tons of tomatoes were specially grown for the festival to not interfere with the food supply.

Deputy Mayor Sergio Galarza stated that the festival becomes more exciting from year to year. "You can see how 'Tomatina' grows and evolves, and you can enjoy a festival that is super wholesome," he said.

Similar festivals to La Tomatina have been held around the world, from Florida, Sutamarchán, and Amsterdam to Hyderabad, but this festival remains an integral part of Buñol's history.