Cipotegato

The small town of Tarazona, Aragon is located in the northeast of Spain. Its patron saint is Saint Atilano. He is celebrated in the feast held between the 27th of August and 1st of September. The star of first day is the character known as the Cipotegato.

Cipotegato

Cipotegato wears special harlequin-like clothes and hood, coloured in red, turqoise green and yellow. A corridor through the crowd at the town's Plaza de España is created so he could try to accomplish his mission. Some 20,000 kilograms of tomatoes are given to those gathered. The cipotegato starts running down the corridor. People throw tomatoes at him. To defend himself he carries a stick with a string on which end there is a ball. He has to reach the statue made in his honour.

Each year new person becomes the cipotegato. It is a great honour to be chosen. There are several legends about the origin of this tradition. One says that the town once had a big prison. Once a year one prisoner had a chance to be set free. Before leaving the prison as a free man, he had to pass through the crowd. It was almost impossible task as the people in crowd had stones in their hands.