La Tomatina: One Very Messy Day
Created by Brando Oxley · 22 Aug 2026
Key Vocabulary
an event where people throw tomatoes at each other
The tomato fight makes the streets red.
something that lets you enter an event
I bought a ticket for the festival.
a band worn around the wrist to show you can enter
She showed her wristband at the entrance.
something people do again and again over many years
Wearing white is a tradition at the festival.
shoes that cover and protect your feet
The rules tell visitors to wear closed shoes.
Article
On 26 August 2026, the streets of Buñol in Spain will become very red. La Tomatina is a famous tomato fight where people throw soft tomatoes at each other. [1]
People need a ticket to enter the main event. On the morning of the festival, they change the ticket for a wristband. The wristband shows that they can go into the festival area. [1]
There are also simple safety rules. The official site tells visitors to wear closed shoes, not sandals. Many people wear white clothes, because this is a tradition at La Tomatina. [1]
The festival began in 1945 after a street event in Buñol became a tomato fight. People returned the next year with tomatoes again. The event was stopped for some years, but local people wanted it back. [2]
Today, people travel from many places to join the fun. Buñol is a small town near Valencia, so the streets can become very busy during the festival. [3]
For one day, a tomato is not only food. It becomes part of a strange, wet and very red celebration. Visitors leave with dirty clothes, funny photos and a story that is difficult to forget.
Discussion Questions
- What festival in your country would be fun for a visitor?
- How would you feel in a big tomato fight?
- What old clothes would you wear to an event like this?
- Why do you think strange traditions can become popular?
- What food would make a funny festival in your city?
References
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