Thousands of individuals gathered in Buñol on Wednesday for the annual La Tomatina festival, where they drenched the small Spanish town in red using around 165 tonnes of overripe tomatoes. The chaotic tomato-throwing event lasted for over an hour in the town near València, with buildings shielded by tarps in preparation for the festivities.
A man was seen covering a house with a tarp to shield it from flying tomatoes before the festival, which dates back to a food fight in 1945. This year, more than 20,000 participants were expected to join, with reports from the Spanish EFE news agency indicating that 40% of attendees in the last three years were international tourists.
Non-local visitors paid 15 euros for entry, with the main rule being to crush the tomatoes before throwing them to prevent injuries. Despite this, many attendees opted to wear swimming goggles and earplugs for added protection during the tomato frenzy.
Images captured people engaged in the tomato battle on the streets, with some participants on trucks throwing tomatoes at those below, while others sat amidst the tomato-covered chaos. The La Tomatina festival continues to attract crowds for its unique and messy celebration.
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**Keywords: La Tomatina, Buñol, tomato fight, Spanish festival, tomato-throwing event, València, overripe tomatoes, international tourists, tomato battle, safety precautions**