La Tomatina2026 · Date · History
Ajuntament de Buñol / municipal tourism authority
About La Tomatina
La Tomatina is Buñol’s annual tomato-throwing festival, traditionally held on the last Wednesday of August in Buñol, Valencia, Spain.
The official 2026 site identifies the August 26, 2026 edition and states that the event is organized under municipal authorization and regulation.
Why La Tomatina matters
Buñol’s official festival history traces the event to the last Wednesday of August 1945, when a disturbance during a parade led participants to throw tomatoes from a nearby market stall.
The municipality’s history records repetition in 1946, periods of prohibition and later authorization, followed by institutionalization as a local festival and later tourism recognition.
History of La Tomatina
The municipal history places the origin on the last Wednesday of August 1945.
The event was repeated, prohibited at points in its early history and later reauthorized and institutionalized.
Buñol’s official site says the modern festival remains on the last Wednesday of August; the 2026 edition is August 26.
Current access is capacity-controlled through official tickets/wristbands and municipal regulation.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Ayuntamiento de Buñol / municipal organization
The current official site identifies the Ayuntamiento as portal owner and describes the event as organized under municipal authorization and regulation.
First documented observance
The municipality’s official festival history traces La Tomatina to the last Wednesday of August 1945.
La Tomatina received international tourism-interest recognition according to Buñol’s official festival history.
Spanish tourism authority · Fiesta de Interés Turístico Internacional recognition
Ayuntamiento de Buñol
The official municipal event site manages current information, regulation, tickets and safety guidance.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
How to Observe La Tomatina
Follow the official event rules and current municipal instructions rather than improvising unsafe participation.
The official rules say to crush tomatoes before throwing them, keep distance from tomato trucks, avoid bottles or hard objects, and stop when the second signal marks the end.
Wear secure closed footwear and bring only permitted items; crowded-event conditions require awareness of exits, belongings and instructions from staff.
For children, use the separately organized children’s event and age guidance rather than placing young children into the adult crowd.
La Tomatina Facts
La Tomatina is traditionally held on the last Wednesday of August.
Buñol’s official history traces the festival to 1945.
The 2026 event is scheduled for August 26.
The modern event is municipally regulated and capacity controlled.
Official safety rules include crushing tomatoes before throwing, avoiding hard objects, keeping distance from trucks and stopping at the end signal.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Ayuntamiento de Buñol / official La Tomatina portal — municipal authorization and regulation
Ayuntamiento de Buñol — official La Tomatina portal
Ayuntamiento de Buñol — official event regulation/tickets (opens in a new tab)
Municipal Government Regulation
Ayuntamiento de Buñol — official La Tomatina portal (opens in a new tab)
Municipal Government Cultural Event
Ayuntamiento de Buñol — official La Tomatina safety rules (opens in a new tab)
Municipal Government Safety
Ayuntamiento de Buñol — official portal ownership (opens in a new tab)
Municipal Government
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is La Tomatina?
last Wednesday of August; 26 August in 2026 The documented recurrence rule is: last Wednesday of August.
Does La Tomatina fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is La Tomatina an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Buñol municipal festival, Spain. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes La Tomatina?
The reviewed sources identify Ayuntamiento de Buñol / municipal organization as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Ayuntamiento de Buñol.
Is La Tomatina international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Spain. Its fuller verified scope is: Buñol municipal festival, Spain.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-25.
When is La Tomatina?
It is traditionally held on the last Wednesday of August; the official 2026 date is August 26.
Where is it held?
In Buñol, Valencia, Spain.
When did it begin?
Buñol’s official festival history traces its origin to the last Wednesday of August 1945.
Is the modern event regulated?
Yes. The official site describes municipal authorization, a public fee/capacity system, official access controls and event rules.
What are the main safety rules?
Official guidance includes crushing tomatoes before throwing them, keeping clear of trucks, not bringing bottles or hard objects, and stopping when the second signal ends the event.
Other observances on August 25
These observances are also listed on August 25, 2027.
Independence Day
Uruguay Presidency, culture ministry and IMPO legal sources verify the August 25 Declaratoria de la Independencia commemoration, 1825 historical anchor and current paid-holiday treatment.
National Park Service Founders Day
The National Park Service identifies 25 August 1916 as the date of the Organic Act creating the agency and recognizes 25 August as Founders Day.