Tomato Battle

Overview

The stage has been set and the battlelines drawn. People of Melbourne, prepare yourself for war. This Saturday, hundreds of combatants will descend upon Flemington Racecourse for an afternoon of drinking, dancing and tomato-hurling mayhem. It's our very own version of Spain’s La Tomatina, with a little bit of Oktoberfest thrown in.

Participants in Melbourne's inaugural Tomato Battle will pelt each other with upwards of one hundred thousand kilograms of over-ripe Roma tomatoes, in an event that will probably end up being marginally less messy than the Spring Racing Carnival. Everyone involved will be expected to play by the rules, which explicitly forbid profanity, unsportsmanlike behaviour and nudity. You'd think that last one would go without saying, but we suppose it's better to be safe than sorry.

Gates open at noon for preregistration, while the fruit starts flying at 4pm sharp. The main event will be preceded by a lineup of live music, headlined by local favourite Some Blonde DJ.