It is an event unlike any other that draws young people from all over the world. The atmosphere is a supercharged mix of energy, spontaneity and just plain craziness. When the tradition began in 1989, a mere 150 people and one truck attended the celebration. The movement was created to promote respect, non-violence and intolerance of sexual harassment as it applies to both men and women. The day begins with storeowners carefully shielding their storefronts and a gathering of the day's soldiers in the town's main square, Plaza del Pueblo.
People socialize in the square drinking red wine and preparing to do vegetable warfare.
Buckets of water are thrown on the crowd to signal the beginning of the battle. The 50 tons of tomatoes shipped in from neighboring cities are dumped into the streets, and soon thereafter the madness ensues. People begin pelting each other with ripe red tomatoes for the sheer fun of it. During the battle, no moving object is safe, so watch your back. La Tomatina began in 1944 as an impromptu tomato fight between a few friends, and has grown into a week-long celebration leading up to the battle.