Buñol hosts the world's biggest tomato fight
Every August, Spain's most colourful food fight floods the town of Buñol with 120 tons of tomatoes. Behind this red spectacle lies the locals' pride in their tradition, but also the challenge of quick cleanup and growing tourism.
In a town with only 9,000 inhabitants, La Tomatina comes like a tidal wave. This year, more than 22,000 visitors attended the festival, coming to see the biggest tomato fight in the world. However, the battle itself lasts only an hour. During that time, the tomatoes, which are grown specifically for this occasion and are not suitable for consumption, are turned into a sauce.
Participants are encouraged by the organizers to wear closed shoes and clothing that they don't mind getting ruined. But how does the city deal with the dirty houses and streets? The organizers of the event, together with local residents, try to prevent the buildings from getting too dirty by covering them with plastic sheets and wooden boards. To make it easier to clean the tomatoes off the streets, the locals and organizers spray the streets with water throughout the event.
Swept into the sewers
The cleanup begins immediately after the siren sounds, signalling the end of the match and urging participants to leave the street. The "tomato soup" diluted with water is swept into the sewers by neighbours and local government workers.
"When the street is empty, the plastic sheets are removed, and a fire truck arrives to clean the houses once again of any remaining pulp. Within two hours, the town is back to its original state," explains photographer Pablo García, who captured this year’s festival.
For the residents of Buñol, La Tomatina is more than just a spectacle. Many locals are proud of this tradition and prepare for it for months, but some are beginning to feel that the festival is changing from a local entertainment to a tourist attraction.
"This year there were so many people that it was almost impossible to breathe, especially when the lorries pass and you have to move to one side. I felt like I was going to suffocate," recalls Sue, who has lived here all her life.
With the regional railway line still closed after last year's devastating floods, thousands of tourists were brought in by bus and dropped off at the same spot, causing traffic jams in the narrow streets. For Sue and other residents, the crowds make it harder to enjoy their own celebration. The festival once felt like a community gathering, but now, with more than twice the town's population descending on it in a single morning, it can be overwhelming.
