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La Tomatina Turns 80 as Buñol Readies Its One-Hour Tomato Fight Wednesday

Ticketing coupled with purpose-grown tomatoes signals a push to balance safety with sustainability.

FILE - Crowds of people throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta in Bunol, near Valencia, Spain, Aug. 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, File)
FILE - Revelers lie in a pool of squashed tomatoes during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in Bunol, near Valencia, Spain, Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, File)
FILE - Revelers play with tomato pulp during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta in Bunol, near Valencia, Spain, Aug. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, File)

Overview

  • Up to 22,000 participants are expected in Buñol on August 27 for the 80th edition held on the last Wednesday of August.
  • Roughly 120 tons of overripe tomatoes will fuel the event, with this year's supply sourced from Don Benito, according to local officials.
  • Non-residents must purchase tickets priced around €15, a policy used to cap attendance after past crowd surges.
  • Safety guidance asks participants to squash tomatoes before throwing and to avoid bottles or other hard objects.
  • The street fight runs for one hour, ends with a cannon signal, and is followed by communal showers and municipal cleanup.