Buñol Turns Red as Thousands Celebrate 80th La Tomatina Festival
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Over 120 tons of tomatoes thrown in Spain’s iconic food fight, attracting visitors from around the world.
The Spanish town of Buñol was drenched in red on Wednesday as thousands gathered for the 80th anniversary of La Tomatina, the world-famous tomato-throwing festival.
Around 22,000 participants from Spain and abroad took part in the one-hour event, throwing more than 120 tons of overripe tomatoes at each other. Many wore goggles and old clothes, laughing as the streets quickly turned into rivers of tomato juice.
The festival dates back to 1945, when local children playfully began pelting each other with tomatoes. What started as a spontaneous fight has grown into an internationally recognized event. Non-local visitors now pay 15 euros ($17.50) for tickets, with buses bringing crowds from nearby cities.
Residents protect their homes with tarps, while local authorities immediately organize cleanup after the tomato storm. For participants, the mess is part of the fun.
“When it’s going on, it’s just a blur of tomatoes,” said Adrian Columb from Ireland, who first attended in 1999. “It was a blast.”
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