Spain’s La Tomatina Festival Marks 80th Anniversary

Spain’s iconic La Tomatina festival in Buñol celebrated its 80th anniversary this year, drawing around 22,000 participants to its famed tomato fight.

Nearly 120 tons of specially cultivated, inedible tomatoes were launched in the streets by attendees, who each pay about €15 to throw them.

The event originated spontaneously in 1945 and, despite a Franco-era ban, gained global fame by the 1980s. It’s held annually on the last Wednesday of August.

Safety advice includes squashing tomatoes before throwing, and many participants wear goggles and earplugs to avoid injury.

After the hour-long battle, a cannon signals the end, and communal clean-up efforts often leave the town cleaner than before—a unique post-festival tradition.

La Tomatina remains a cultural draw for Spain, blending heritage and participatory tourism in an unforgettable, messy celebration.