Thousands of individuals flocked to Buñol on Wednesday to partake in the annual La Tomatina food fight, transforming the quaint Spanish town into a sea of red using approximately 165 tonnes of ripe tomatoes. The chaotic event lasted for over an hour in the vicinity of València, where structures were shielded with tarps in anticipation of the revelry.
Ahead of the festival, a man was seen covering a house with a tarp to shield it from the airborne tomatoes, a tradition that dates back to a food battle in 1945. This year, over 20,000 participants were expected to join in, with reports from the Spanish EFE news agency indicating that 40 percent of attendees in the past three years have been international tourists.
Non-local visitors are required to pay 15 euros for entry. The primary regulation is to crush the tomatoes before throwing them to prevent injuries. Despite this rule, many attendees opt to wear swimming goggles and earplugs for added protection during the event.
The streets were filled with people engaging in the tomato fight, with some individuals even perched on trucks hurling tomatoes at those below. The festive atmosphere included participants in goggles sitting amidst a sea of tomatoes, creating a vibrant and lively scene in Buñol.