Tomatina 2026 festival begins today in Buñol

La Tomatina in Buñol drew more than 20,000 participants this year, with up to 165 tons of overripe tomatoes hurled over about an hour. The event, held on the last Wednesday of August, traces its origins to a 1945 spontaneous fight and became an international attraction after Franco's ban and later television attention. About 40 percent of participants in recent years are international visitors, with a notable rise in attendees from India inspired by the 2011 Bollywood film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Non-local attendees typically pay 15 euros for entry, and participants wear goggles and earplugs while ensuring tomatoes are squashed before throwing. After the cannon signals the end, revelers rinse off at communal showers; many buildings are covered with tarps to protect them. Similar tomato-flinging events exist elsewhere, but La Tomatina remains the best-known example.