About La Tomatina
La Tomatina is the world's largest food fight, a gloriously messy festival held in the small town of Buñol near Valencia, Spain. For one hour, tens of thousands of revellers pelt one another with overripe tomatoes until the streets run red, in a spectacle that has become one of Spain's most famous and most photographed celebrations. It is pure, anarchic fun — no deeper meaning required, just a town turned into a giant tomato battlefield.
The tradition traces back to August 1945, when a scuffle during a parade in the town square spilled into a spontaneous tomato fight, and locals enjoyed it enough to repeat it the next year. Today the event is carefully organised: trucks dump around 150 tonnes of tomatoes, a greased pole with a ham on top (the palojabón) signals the start, and roughly 20,000 ticketed participants squash the tomatoes before throwing to avoid injury. Buñol was named a Fiesta of International Tourist Interest in 2002.
La Tomatina is always held on the last Wednesday of August, the climax of a week of local festivities with music, parades and fireworks. Because participation is now capped and ticketed, many plan their trip months ahead. Whether you dream of joining the chaos or just love the spectacle, add La Tomatina to your own page and the counter above will show exactly how long until the tomatoes fly.
Upcoming dates
| 2026 | Wednesday, August 26, 2026next |
| 2027 | Wednesday, August 25, 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, August 30, 2028 |
| 2029 | Wednesday, August 29, 2029 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, August 28, 2030 |
FAQ
When is La Tomatina?
La Tomatina is held on the last Wednesday of August each year in Buñol, Spain. The countdown above shows the days, hours and minutes until the next tomato fight.
Why is La Tomatina celebrated?
It has no religious or political meaning — it grew from a spontaneous tomato fight during a 1945 parade in Buñol's town square, which locals enjoyed so much they turned it into an annual tradition.
How does La Tomatina work?
Trucks unload around 150 tonnes of overripe tomatoes, a ham atop a greased pole signals the start, and roughly 20,000 participants squash and hurl tomatoes for about an hour before hoses wash the streets clean.
How many tomatoes are used at La Tomatina?
About 150 tonnes of overripe tomatoes are thrown by some 20,000 participants during the hour-long event, which is officially recognised as the world's biggest food fight.