Spanish holidays and festivals are truly crazy. They capture into the whirlpool of passions and emotions not only local residents, but also tourists, who often come specially for the start of the celebrations. La Tomatina, the “tomato party” in Valencia, Spain, is also not modest. It takes place annually at the end of August and lasts strictly one week.
Spanish "La Tomatina" takes place in the town of Buñole, in the province of Valencia. During the week, guests and participants of the holiday will enjoy concerts, a festive parade, dances and fireworks. But the main thing that attracts tourists from all over the world to La Tomatina is the battle of tomatoes.
At the very beginning of the festival, at ten in the morning, trucks filled to the brim with tomatoes drive into the main square of the city. The large crowd is already rubbing their hands in anticipation of a real fight. But the opening of the festival will be obliged to only one person: a daredevil who can climb a two-story high wooden post coated with soap and lard and get a trophy - a pork leg.
The tomato battle, the main event of the festival, begins with a signal: a shot from water cannons. A large crowd zealously grabbed the main weapon: the imported tomatoes. Before you throw a tomato at someone, you need to crush the vegetable in your hands so as not to injure anyone. The battle ends an hour later with the same signal from the water cannons. During this time, the festival participants manage to put into business more than 100 tons of tomatoes. The main thing that distinguishes La Tomatina from some other events is that the fun always passes without any injury or adverse consequences.
To participate in the Spanish "La Tomatina" you need to know the rules established by the city authorities and the organizers of the event. Under no circumstances should the participants' clothing be torn; it is necessary to get rid of all sharp and heavy objects that can injure someone; it is necessary to closely monitor the movements of trucks with "weapons". Also, problems can arise with toilets. All nearby shops and restaurants are closed during the holiday so that guests do not cause great damage. There are no free public toilets in Spain. Therefore, the participants have no choice but to relieve themselves right on the street.
