Thousands of individuals flocked to Buñol on Wednesday to partake in the annual La Tomatina food battle, where they dyed the quaint Spanish town red using approximately 165 tonnes of overripe tomatoes. This messy showdown lasted over an hour in the town near València, with structures shielded by tarps prior to the event.
The tradition, originating from a food skirmish in 1945, saw a man covering a house with a tarp to shield it from flying tomatoes before the festival. This year, over 20,000 participants were anticipated, with reports from the Spanish EFE news agency indicating that 40% of attendees in the past three years were international tourists.
Non-local visitors paid 15 euros for entry, with the primary rule being to crush tomatoes before throwing them to prevent injuries. Many attendees opted for protective gear such as swimming goggles and earplugs. The event featured people engaging in tomato fights on the streets, some throwing tomatoes from trucks above, and others covered in tomatoes on the ground.
