Thousands of individuals gathered in Buñol on Wednesday for the annual La Tomatina festival, transforming the small Spanish town into a sea of red by utilizing around 165 tonnes of overripe tomatoes. The chaotic tomato battle lasted for more than an hour in the town near València, with structures shielded by tarps in anticipation of the event.
A man was pictured covering a house with a tarp to safeguard it from flying tomatoes before the festival, which dates back to a food fight in 1945. This year, over 20,000 participants are expected to join, with 40% of attendees in the past three years reportedly being international tourists, according to the Spanish EFE news agency.
Non-local visitors pay a fee of 15 euros for entry, with the primary safety rule mandating that tomatoes be squashed before throwing to prevent injuries. Nevertheless, many participants opt to wear swimming goggles and earplugs for added protection during the tomato mayhem.