No one really knows how La Tomatina started, but apparently it started in 1945 when a bunch of disgruntled youths staged a brawl in the main square, Plaza del Pueblo. There was a vegetable cart near by and of course tomatoes were the missile of choice. It didn’t take long before it became an annual event. Whatever the reason, the sleepy town of Bunol, population 9000, is descended upon by up to 50,000 tourists for one day in August every year for the world’s largest food fight. This is what happens…

50,000 people pack into a narrow street and square in the middle of town. The windows of the shops and houses along the street and square are covered in tarps. A pole is erected in the square and a ham is tied to the top. The pole is then covered in a thick layer of grease. People try to climb the pole to get the ham. When someone reaches the ham a cannon is fired and the dump trucks roll in, ten in total. The trucks are full of tomatoes. This is when all hell breaks loose as people start hurling tomatoes at each other. The only rule in this battle is that you have to squash the tomato before throwing it, which nobody really does. If no one gets the ham the cannon fires at around 11am. Once the cannon has fired the tomato throwing lasts for exactly one hour. Afterwards everyone heads for the nearest hose or river to wash off before hooking into the sangria (local alcoholic punch).

Mal, ready for battle

Some people just ask for trouble…

Dressed for the occasion

The prize

Nice and clean, in the square – before the fight (note the ham pole near the palm tree behind us)

Some crazy clown started a water fight

The first truck full of tomatoes

After the first truck

After the last truck

The scene after the cannon fires to signal the end of the fight

These guys came equipped with head protection

Discarded shoes – the streets were full of these and clothes after the battle

Mal enjoying a well-earned kebab and sangria after the fight