Thousands of participants converged on the Spanish town of Buñol on Wednesday for the annual La Tomatina festival, transforming the streets into a sea of red as they hurled overripe tomatoes at one another.
Loaded trucks navigated the crowds, with individuals on their beds distributing tomatoes to the revelers, who then engaged in the festive, messy battle. White shirts quickly became stained pink and red amid the sound of pop music. The event, which lasted for over an hour, saw buildings protected by tarps in anticipation of the tomato onslaught.
The festival's origins date back to a spontaneous food fight in 1945. It became an annual tradition but was subsequently banned by Spanish dictator Gen. Francisco Franco in the 1950s. Media attention in the 1980s helped elevate La Tomatina to a national event and eventually an international draw.
This year, over 20,000 people were expected to participate. Approximately 40% of attendees in recent years have been international tourists, according to the Spanish news agency EFE. A significant increase in visitors from India has been observed following the 2011 Bollywood movie "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" ("You Only Live Once"), which featured a recreation of the festival. Many Indian attendees, like Romail Khokhar from Mumbai, cited the film as their inspiration for attending.
Non-local attendees are required to purchase a ticket for 15 euros (approximately $17.50). The primary rule of the event is to squash tomatoes before throwing them to prevent injuries. Many participants wore swimming goggles and earplugs for protection.
At the conclusion of the hour-long event, signaled by a cannon blast, crowds moved to communal showers to wash off. The town's streets were subsequently hosed down, with the acidic nature of the tomatoes reportedly leaving the streets cleaner than before the festivities.
Similar tomato-throwing events have been organized in various locations globally, including Florida, London, Amsterdam, Colombia, and India.