Tonnes of tomatoes set to hit 'La Tomatina' food fight festival

Last updated on: 27 August,2019 06:03 pm

It is considered one of the biggest food-fight festivals in the world.

CASTELLON (Reuters) - One hundred and forty-five tonnes of tomatoes were transported from Castellon to the eastern Spanish town of Bunol on Tuesday (August 27) where thousands of revellers will hurl them at each other on Wednesday (August 28) as they celebrate the messy annual Tomatina food-fight festival.

A fire cracker will signal the start of the massive food fight at 11 a.m. (0900 GMT) which lasts exactly one hour, six trucks loaded with over-ripe tomatoes will drive through the small town’s main street providing ammunition for festival-goers.

The Tomatina is said to have originated from a spontaneous bust-up amongst villagers in 1945. It was banned for a while during the 1950s at the height of General Francisco Franco’s dictatorship, but today draws large crowds of locals as well as foreign tourists.

It is considered one of the biggest food-fight festivals in the world.