La Tomatina started in 1945, during the last Wednesday of August festivities in the town of Buñol, Spain.

Quick Scoop

  • The widely accepted start date is the last Wednesday of August 1945 , when a group of young people got into a playful scuffle during a festival parade and began throwing tomatoes from a nearby market stall.
  • The chaotic tomato fight was such a hit that locals repeated it the following year, turning it into an annual tradition.
  • Authorities banned the event in the early 1950s, but locals protested, even staging a mock “tomato funeral” in 1957, after which the festival was officially permitted.
  • Over time, La Tomatina grew from a small-town food fight into a major international festival that now attracts thousands of visitors each year.

So if you’re wondering “when did La Tomatina start?” — the answer most historians and local sources give is: it began as a tomato fight during Buñol’s festival in 1945 , and then evolved into the famous festival celebrated today.

Meta description:
Wondering when did La Tomatina start? Learn how a spontaneous 1945 tomato fight in Buñol, Spain, turned into today’s world‑famous festival, plus key historical moments and fun facts.

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