Imagine being covered from head to toe not with water but with tomatoes. This happens in Spain’s tomatina festival. Inspired by that Colombia also celebrated its own tomatina festival. This festival is celebrated mainly in Spain, Bunol on the last Wednesday of august every year. This festival is a tomato throwing event which is full of fun, mess and culturally rooted.
While not being the biggest festival in Colombia, Colombia gave this festival its own unique charm by gathering twenty thousand revelers in Sutamarchan. People used 45 tons of tomatoes for the festival. This tomato festival in Colombia was celebrated to boost the economy which is mainly rooted in their production of tomatoes.
This festival is inspired by Spain’s la tomatina festival which is held every year in Bunol, Spain. Because of the festival being depicted in movies, internet and tourism, it has become a global phenomenon. This influenced Colombians to start their own tradition which is similar to the Spain’s tomatina festival.
This festival started in Colombia in 2015. The first event was held in Sutamarchan. This festival which started just for a fun activity grew into a recognized annual festival over the years. 2025 marks the 15 year anniversary if this festival being celebrated in Colombia. If you would like to read similar story do visit our BLOG for latest post.
Sutamarchan is a town in the Boyacá department of Colombia. This is where the gran tomatina festival of Colombia id held annually.
The tomato celebration is usually held in the month of June to celebrate the Tomato production in Colombia which is a great contribution to its economy.
The scene during the festival is all red. The streets are covered in red. People laugh, dance and play with tomatoes and forget all of their worries during this festival.
Before the fight, the streets are prepared for the tomato festival.
The trucks which are full of ripe tomatoes arrive in the streets of Colombia.
Participants are usually advised to wear old clothes and wear goggles so that they don’t ruin their good clothes and their eyes don’t hurt. With this kind of setting participants can fully enjoy the festival without any kind of worry.
The main event,
A signal shows the start of the festival. People start throwing tomatoes at each other. No violence is allowed. Just pure fun and laughter. It’s like the Indian festival of Holi but with tomatoes instead of colors.
The festival is messy and joyful in nature.
Music, dance and food,
After the Tomato fight, participants celebrate the festival with traditional food, live music and street performances.
Rules and Safety,
There are certain rules and regulation that must be followed during this gran tomatina festival in Colombia.
The tomatoes used during the festival must be squashed by the participants before throwing at each other. This rule is to make sure that there are no injuries caused during the festival.
Also during the festival it is made sure that no sharp objects are used. The festival volunteers makes sure that the festival remains safe and secure.
Participants are also advised to wear goggles during the festival to protect their eyes form hurting.
The organizers and volunteers make sure that the festival remains nonviolent in nature.
Ever wondered, why tomatoes are used in these kind of festivals? Why not any other kind of fruits or vegetables?
The answer is simple. The tomatoes when they become overripe they become inconsumable. The overripe tomatoes become an unsuitable choice for eating and if they are not eatable they can easily go to waste.
There is also a cultural symbolism in using tomatoes for this festival. Tomatoes represent fun, messiness and happiness but also is harmless and kind of freeing in nature.
Usage of tomatoes are also environmentally conscious as these tomatoes could otherwise be discarded.
The festival is of a great importance and also a form of social gathering. This festival brings people together and also the different communities together making it the largest social gathering.
This festival also brings tourism for the nation, attracting both national and international visitors to attend.
This festival promotes joy and happiness and also encourages unity in the people.
It also makes sure the small towns like Sutamarchan gets recognized not only at national but also at international level.
This promotes local businesses and food vendors which could benefit them financially.
Gran tomatina festival of Colombia is much more recent compared to Spain’s la tomatina festival which is much older as it started in 1945.
Spain’s la tomatina is also more globally recognized than any other country which celebrates similar tomatina festivals.
Colombia’s gran tomatina is much smaller than Spain’s la tomatina but it is gradually gaining more popularity in the recent years.
Spanish Tomato festival is organized in Bunol and Colombian tomato festival is held in Sutamarchan.
It has been seen that compared to Colombia’s tomato festival in Sutamarchan, Spain’s tomato festival is usually more controlled and regulated.
However, besides all the differences Spain and Colombia share the same celebratory and fun spirit.
Tomato festival facts includes;
Around 30 to 60 tons of tomatoes are used every year for this festival.
The festival runs for around one hour only.
This festival is usually supported by the local tomato sellers.
People from other cities and tourists also take part in this festival.
After the festival is over, all the locals and volunteers take part in the cleaning process which again brings them together as a community.
While most of the people enjoy this festival, some people criticize it for food wastage. Even though the tomatoes used are non-edible, the water used for the cleaning process is also questioned.
While local communities defend this festival as a cultural event, organizers still try to keep it as sustainable as possible to avoid criticism.
Columbia’s gran tomatina festival which is inspired by Spain’s la tomatina festival is celebrated in June of every year in Sutamarchan town. People throw tomatoes at each other during this festival making it messy and fun in nature just like the Indian festival of Holi.
Although rules and safety are regulated during the festival and the tomatoes used are non edible, critics still criticize it for food wastage. Local communities come together to defend their culturally rooted festival and try to be as sustainable as possible.
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Nidhi is a professional content creator with a passion for turning thoughts and ideas into engaging, impactful words. She enjoys exploring a wide range of topics and brings creativity, clarity, and enthusiasm to everything she writes.
