Every clique – be it a cult, tribe, country or race – has its own customs and traditions that are created out of habit, necessity or even by serendipity. Just like that of the Tomatina Festival celebrated every August in the Valencia region of Spain.
Every year around 40, 000 people all over Spain celebrate the Tomato Festival wherein they throw more than 240, 000 pounds of tomatoes at each other. The festival is celebrated on the last Wednesday of August and is a town-wide tomato fight. The tradition, they say, began in 1945 when a fight was created between two young members of the carnival crowd. The said fight took place near a vegetable stall in the town square and everyone started picking and throwing tomatoes at each other. One year later, on the same occasion, the same people met at the square bringing their own tomatoes with them. The fight was being stopped by the police. In the following years, this practice was banned by the government but because it has already gained its popularity, it has been given its official recognition in 1959.
People are now excited to to celebrate the Tomatina Festival come August 2009. This will mark its 50 years of celebration.
Every year around 40, 000 people all over Spain celebrate the Tomato Festival wherein they throw more than 240, 000 pounds of tomatoes at each other. The festival is celebrated on the last Wednesday of August and is a town-wide tomato fight. The tradition, they say, began in 1945 when a fight was created between two young members of the carnival crowd. The said fight took place near a vegetable stall in the town square and everyone started picking and throwing tomatoes at each other. One year later, on the same occasion, the same people met at the square bringing their own tomatoes with them. The fight was being stopped by the police. In the following years, this practice was banned by the government but because it has already gained its popularity, it has been given its official recognition in 1959.
People are now excited to to celebrate the Tomatina Festival come August 2009. This will mark its 50 years of celebration.
I've seen this in Discovery Travel and Living and it looks really fun. Though, I think its a lot of waste. Imagine how many cans of sauces those tomatoes could make. Oh well, but I still want to try it.
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