La Tomatina Festival in Spain 2024: Everything To Know!

Imagine a space filled with laughter, streets painted red with tomatoes, sky in a tide of joy and faces beaming with smiles. This is the tomato fight, in Spain where every throw is a burst of joy and every splash a new bond. 

Feel the vibe around every corner of Spain as the festival is about to begin in August last. So are you ready to see the wave of red? Splashes on your face, tomatoes under your nails, clothes with red marks are more than just fun when you are part of La Tomatina . 

The La Tomatina Festival in Spain definitely transforms the town into a canvas of laughter. It’s not just a celebration; it’s an unforgettable experience! So, are you ready? 

History of La Tomatina Festival

The origin of this tomato fight dates back to a fight in 1945. The La Tomatina festival started the last Wednesday of August in 1945 when some young people fought while attending the parade.

During that time, some young people were attending Giants and parades in town square and as a result of the festivities one participant’s Big head fell off. This led to rage among participants and they started pelting each other with tomatoes until the local forces ended this fight. 

The next year, some young people pre-planned this scene and brought their tomatoes to fight and this is how it became a tradition. 

The festival was banned by authorities in 1950s as it lacked the religious importance but due to the protest among people this decision was changed and festival was started again.

Not just this, the festival had seen continuous unfortunate circumstances that time and it was canceled again until 1957 when people protested against this ban and a tomato funeral was held. This protest was accompanied by music bands and it was successful.

However, due to the huge rage among people against this ban, La Tomatina Festival in Spain was finally permitted and now it is held every year since then. 

La Tomatina Festival 2024

The La Tomatina, World’s Biggest Food Fight was started in 1945 and it is now celebrated every year in Spain with joy. The festival takes place on the last Wednesday of August in the town of Bunol.

This enjoyable fiesta brings people together every year and gives them a great time of laughter and fun. Participants can have a joyful battle throwing tomatoes at each other and have a wonderful time. 

This year La Tomatina Festival in Spain will be held on 28th August and the day festivities begins at 9 am in town square by offering pastries and rolls. In the space, a huge pole is erected which will be covered with soap and people try to climb that as high as possible to get the prize. 

On that festival day, a shot is fired at 11 o’ clock to begin the battle. After the beginning, first truckload appears and throw the tomatoes. Then the vehicle stops and unloads, and people rush forward to stock up on “bullets”. At the end a bullet is shot which signals the end of the fest. 

Valencia’s La Tomatina is such a vast event which welcomes 20,000 people every year just to throw the tomatoes. Exciting, right? This year’s festival is all set to begin, so are you ready to enjoy the experience of throwing 120 tones of tomatoes. Fun with food! 

Instructions for the safety of the participants during festival

The safety instructions prescribed by city council;

• Only throw tomatoes during the fight.
• Do not tear the clothes of each other while fighting.
• Before throwing the tomato, squash them so that other people don’t get hurt.
• Be at a safe distance from the trucks.
• After the second starter pistol shot, stop throwing tomatoes.
• Follow the instructions given by security staff. 
• Do not throw tomatoes directly at the buildings to avoid any damage.
• Throw the tomatoes only on your people to avoid hurting others. 

Enjoy the La Tomatina Festival in Spain! 

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The “Don’t” list for La Tomatina 

• Don’t try to avoid getting pelted with the tomatoes.

• Try not to wear any expensive jewelry or earrings as they can hurt you and there are chances that you may lose them. 

• Do not bring hard objects as they are not allowed in the festival.

• Be at safe distance to the truckloads as you can get hurt.

• It is recommended to not drink too much alcohol before the festival and make sure to drink plenty of water. 

• Don’t play rough as ripping people’s clothes and pushing them on purpose is not allowed. 

La Tomatina Festival Entry Tickets 

Bunol is a little village with less space for this La Tomatina Festival in Spain and the number of visitors are increasing yearly from all over the world which prompted the authority to cap the number of allowed participants to 20,000. 

Moreover, to enjoy this festival and be in this limited slot, you have to book prior tickets from authorized sellers and make sure to have fun! 

How do I get to La Tomatina?

Bunol is roughly 42 km away from Valencia. It takes roughly an hour by bus to reach this place. More importantly, all the tickets via the official website comprise the return same-day bus transport from other cities. 

Before you book the tickets, make sure you have a valid visa along with a passport as required by this Schengen country. 

If you don’t have the visa, then you must get a Spain Visa from the UK which is now easier, convenient and faster with us. Therefore, we will book express visa appointments with the visa center and make sure you get your visa timely. So, relax!

Conclusion

In conclusion, among the exciting festivals in Schengen culture, none is as iconic as La Tomatina Festival in Spain. Every year, the last Wednesday of August sees this famous La Tomatina festival which is an extr0aordinary food battle. 

However, If you are about to book your visa and want to be part of it, then make sure you follow the adequate visa procedure. Our easier and faster visa process of four steps is curated to streamline your visa requirements. Apply online and get a Spain Visa Appointment with us. Convenient, right?

Have you added this fest in your bucket list? Then pack your bags, dive into the red sea of joy this 28th of August! 

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