| Imagine the scene, 20,000 people frolicking in the | | | | to us, getting to the festival can be relatively easy if |
| street, drenched in the same red liquid that flows | | | | you know what you're doing. |
| down the streets towards the main plaza. | | | | As for what to take, well it's not exactly and event |
| It may sound like something out of a bad B-movie, | | | | you're going to want to turn up to wearing your best |
| but it's very much real - and very popular. | | | | clobber - you're bound to get drenched in tomato |
| Every year, tens of thousands of tourists and locals | | | | juice, and most likely have the clothes ripped from |
| alike descend upon a small town in the Valencia | | | | your body. |
| region of Spain for the annual Tomatina festival. | | | | The festivities begin at around 9am with the 'Ham Up |
| As to how and why, well no-one's quite sure about | | | | A Greasy Pole' event, which participants attempt to |
| how the festival came about - theories include a local | | | | climb and reach the prize at the top. At 11am, trucks |
| food fight that escalated into a festival, to an | | | | filled to bursting with overripe tomatoes roll through |
| accidental lorry spillage that lead to much fun - | | | | the town streets and the madcap hour of tomato |
| nevertheless, since the 1940's it has been a tradition | | | | flinging begins. |
| in the town of Buñol, and attracts thousands | | | | There are strict rules during the festival - from |
| every year. | | | | participants having to squish the fruit slightly before |
| Buñol itself has a population of 9,000 -sees it's | | | | throwing to ceasing your flinging upon hearing the |
| numbers swell in the last Wednesday of August each | | | | second klaxon - which will be sounded at 12 noon. |
| year, as thousands of people of all ages descend | | | | After which you are likely to be apprehended by the |
| upon the town to pelt each other with overripe | | | | local police should you try and get in a sneaky cheap |
| tomatoes. | | | | shot. |
| If you're thinking of heading to such an event, it's | | | | However when the festival ends and there's no more |
| important to plan ahead and arrange your flights. | | | | tomato throwing, locals will hose down participants |
| Buñol itself is about 24 miles from Valencia. Due | | | | after the festival, and the heat of the Spanish sun |
| to a limited amount of room in the town itself, many | | | | ensures you dry off quickly - just in time for your |
| choose to buy cheap flights to Valencia and travel by | | | | journey back. |
| bus or train to the town where the festival takes | | | | It's paramount to ensure that your possessions |
| place. | | | | (including money and train tickets) are secure during |
| There are a wide variety of tours available, with | | | | the festival. Try not to bring anything of value - such |
| shuttle buses ferrying thousands of eager participants | | | | as jewellery or mobile phones - to the event. If |
| from Valencia solely for the Tomatina festival. And | | | | you're looking to take pictures you can usually buy |
| with a wide range of cheap flights to Spain available | | | | disposable cameras from the festival itself. |