Prep Talk

Spanish Classes Participate in Tomatina

Posted September 27th, 2015

The sunny Mediterranean city of Valencia in Spain is known around the world for its tasty and succulent oranges. And just thirty miles away is Buñol, another town just as famous for its produce. But its notoriety comes from the locals’ habit of wearing the produce as well as eating it—big time.

Every year, Buñol hosts La Tomatina, the world’s largest food fight. Well connected by motorway and rail to Madrid and Valencia, this charming town erupts into a fiery blaze of tomato-hurling on the last Wednesday of every August. The batalla takes place during a week-long celebration filled with non-stop festivities and the ever present anticipation of the monstrous tomato battle that serves as the culmination of the week’s events.

The Tomatina started during the annual town festival in honor of their patrons San Luis Bertran and the Our Lady of the Forsaken. One parade that takes place during the town fiesta is the parade of the giant heads. It just so happened one year back in the 1940s some youngsters wanted to participate in this parade but the participants didn’t let them join. In a moment of youthful impulse the kids barged into the parade knocking down one of the participants. When this person got back on his feet, furious with what had occurred, he went to the nearest stall and grabbed the first thing he could find—some tomatoes. I think you can imagine the rest. From that moment on, this festival has grown in popularity year after year.