Thousands of individuals flocked to Buñol on Wednesday for the annual La Tomatina festival, transforming the small Spanish town into a sea of red using approximately 165 tonnes of overripe tomatoes. The chaotic tomato battle lasted for over an hour in the town near València, with buildings shielded by tarps in anticipation of the event.
This tradition, dating back to a food fight in 1945, drew over 20,000 participants this year. According to the Spanish EFE news agency, 40% of attendees in the last three years have been international tourists. Non-local visitors paid 15 euros to join the event, which has one primary rule: squash the tomatoes before throwing them to prevent injuries. Despite this rule, many attendees opted to wear swimming goggles and earplugs for added protection during the messy affair.
