History Of The 'Red' La Tomatina Festival!

Life

oi-Amrisha

By Amrisha Sharma

Friday, September 16, 2011, 13:49

As the La Tomatina festival celebrations in Bangalore has come close, it is time to know the history of this Spain's festival. La Tomatina is a food fight festival which is celebrated every year in a small town named Bunol, Valencia. It is celebrated in the last Wednesday of August.

History of La Tomatina festival

The history of La Tomatina festival was traced back in 1944 when a local food fight among friends took place in town's main square, the Plaza del Pueblo. People started practicing this fight and gradually, it became the world's biggest food fight. The festival is in honor of the town's patron saints named St Louis Bertrand and Mare de Deu dels Desemparats (Mother of God of the Defenseless), a title of the Virgin Mary.

How the Tomatina festival starts in Spain?

The red Spanish Tomatina festival starts with Palo Jabon, climbing a greased pole with a ham on the top. This time, the people start singing and dancing while getting drenched with water from cannons which signals the commencement of the food fight. Once the ham is fallen from the pole by the climbed person, water shot is fired in the air and trucks enter. These trucks are loaded with tons of ripe red tomatoes to play with. The golden rule to play the festival is to squash the tomatoes before throwing on people so that it doesn't hurt them.

The tomatoes for Tomatina festival comes from Extremadura, where they are less expensive with inferior taste and are grown specifically for the holidays. It is recommended to use goggles and gloves. Wear clothes which can be thrown after the festival celebration as people tear off the clothes during the food fight.

After an hour of food fight, second shot is fired in the air to announce the end of the fight. Fire trucks hose down the streets and locals also remove the tomato paste from their bodies.

The La Tomatina festival in Spain is celebrated to enjoy the food fight!