Thousands of individuals flocked to Buñol on Wednesday for the annual La Tomatina festival, turning the quaint Spanish town into a sea of red using approximately 165 tonnes of overripe tomatoes. The chaotic tomato battle lasted for more than an hour in the town near València, with buildings shielded by tarps in preparation for the event.
The tradition, dating back to a food fight in 1945, saw a man covering a house with a tarp as a protective measure against flying tomatoes. Over 20,000 participants were anticipated this year, with 40% of attendees in the past three years being international tourists, as reported by the Spanish EFE news agency.
Attendees who are not locals paid 15 euros for entry, with the primary rule being to crush the tomatoes before throwing to prevent injuries. Despite this rule, many participants opted for additional protection like swimming goggles and earplugs. The event also featured people on trucks hurling tomatoes at those below and individuals enjoying the messy affair on the tomato-covered streets.