Every year, on the last Wednesday of August, people come from around the world to participate in the world's largest tomato food fight, called La Tomatina. La Tomatina takes place in Buñol, Spain. Around 20,000 people cram through the small streets of Buñol and around 27,000 over-ripe tomatoes are thrown that day!
The festivities begin in the early morning. In the town square, a pole greased in pig fat is placed and ham is hung up on the top. Many people try to climb and retrieve it but no one has retrieved it in 10 years. Once it's retrieved, the La Tomatina fight begins! If not retrieved, La Tomatina begins at 12 pm. About 27,000 pounds of over-ripe tomatoes are brought to the town square by big trucks for the event.
This tradition began by accident in 1945, when many local kids in the town began to throw tomatoes during a music festival. As a result, many people were angry and found tomatoes to throw as well at a nearby tomato stand. Ever since, the town would prepare for a food fight every August. It was banned for a couple of years until the locals protested. It was not until the 1980's that people around the world heard of La Tomatina and began to make their way to Buñol, Spain.
