It all started in 1945; a group of young people began to throw tomatoes from a near vegetables stall at their enemies. Later, the forces of law came to arrest the troublemakers and, as a result, the battle was ended. One year later, when that August Wednesday came, the village young people went to the square taking tomatoes with them. Again the forces of law intervened to curb what popularly was known some years later as “La Tomatina”. Although the authorities opposition somehow it kept on being celebrated.

At the beginning of 50s, the City Council of Buñol banned the event although it did not stop some participants who were confined to barracks. However, all the neighbours bent over backwards so they were quickly released. The people asked for the event to be celebrated and so the outcry was that the authorities permanently allowed them to celebrate it.

There were more and more people at the event, with their pockets full of tomatoes ready to get into the water, into the fountains and of course, ready to start a battle that used to affect those people who were just watching. Some relevant people were once “attacked”. That is the reason why it was banned under the threat of sanctions and even imprisonment for those who took part.

In 1957 there was a huge demonstration in a humorous style called the “Entierro del tomate” (The burial of the tomatoe), as a way to demand the event.

In 1959 the City Council allowed to celebrate the event, but under there were some rules.
Among the changes, the “palo jabón” appeared as a greasy pole that took place an hour before the beginning of “La Tomatina”. The beginning would be advertised from that time by an incendiary device.

In 1975, the event was organized by the “Clavarios de San Luis Bertrán”, the patron saint of the Buñol village, who took charge of the tomatoes that previously were taken by people from their houses.

In 1980 the City Council took charge of the organization and promotion of the event. Tomatoes were counted in tons and the number of lorries and all over the world participants was huge.

Nowadays people can enjoy “La Tomatina” due to brave people who at the time fought to maintain an event that let people all over the world feel being in the middle of the highest tomatoes war ever, “La Tomatina”.