Buñol’s Streets Run Red: Tomatina 2025 Delivers Messy Thrills and ‘Tomato Therapy’

Thousands of enthusiastic participants from around the world descended upon Buñol, Spain, yesterday for the annual ‘Tomatina’ celebration, transforming the town’s central street into a vibrant, pulpy red spectacle. An estimated 20,000 revelers spent a wild hour flinging 120 tons of overripe tomatoes, embracing the uniquely messy thrill of the iconic food fight.

This year’s event, held on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, carried the special slogan ‘Tomaterapia,’ or ‘Tomato Therapy,’ as Buñol continues to recover from devastating floods that impacted eastern Spain in late 2024. Despite the chaos, the atmosphere was electric, with thumping music giving the event a rave-like vibe as participants, many in white shirts quickly stained pink, let loose amid screams and laughter.

Marking its 80th anniversary, the ‘Tomatina’ festival, which reportedly began in 1945, has grown into a major international draw. Amid the collective abandon, a notable moment saw participants flying Palestinian flags and a banner protesting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, backed by a local left-wing political party. Organizers ensured the tomatoes, grown specifically for the festival and deemed unfit for consumption, were squashed before throwing to reduce impact, with many opting for protective goggles and earplugs. After the cannon shot signaled the end of the battle, communal showers awaited the crimson-covered revelers as workers efficiently hosed down the streets.

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