Enjoy Colombia’s festival La Tomatina

Americas Now

Each year a joyful jubilee is held in Colombia to enhance relations in the farming industry.

It’s a three day festival that honors the tomato. Tomatina features a parade, song, fireworks, people dressed in tomato costumes and a tomato eating race. But the high point of the event is a massive Tomato fight. Participants throw tomatoes at each other that are overripe and not fit to eat. While it may look messy, it’s all in good fun.

Thousands have taken part in Tomatina since it began in Colombia nine years ago. The host city is 75 miles from Bogota and named Sutamarchan.

The festival is based on the Tomatina celebration that occurs in Bunol, Spain near Valencia. The crowds there were once controllable but now have gotten so large tickets are sold to the event. As you will see when you watch, a change of clothes is a must if you attend.

Enjoy Colombia's festival La Tomatina

Each year a joyful jubilee is held in Colombia to enhance relations in the farming industry. It’s a three day festival that honors the tomato. Tomatina features a parade, song, fireworks, people dressed in tomato costumes and a tomato eating race. But the high point of the event is a massive Tomato fight. Participants throw tomatoes at each other that are overripe and not fit to eat. While it may look messy, it’s all in good fun. Thousands have taken part in Tomatina since it began in Colombia nine years ago. The host city is 75 miles from Bogota and named Sutamarchan. The festival is based on the Tomatina celebration that occurs in Bunol, Spain near Valencia. The crowds there were once controllable but now have gotten so large tickets are sold to the event. As you will see when you watch, a change of clothes is a must if you attend.