The annual festival, during which participants throw tomatoes at one another, was held in Spain.
The festival has been held annually in the town of Bunol near Valencia on the last Wednesday of August since the 1940s. No one knows exactly how the tradition was born, but according to the popular legend, town residents, angry with the local authorities, threw tomatoes at officials during a town celebration in 1944 or 1945. Everyone enjoyed the process, and people began to repeat it every year, which became a tradition.
This year trucks delivered 160 tonnes of ripe tomatoes for a battle among more than 20,000 people. Many visit the town to take part in the amazing festival and travel agencies even offer special tours. Revellers enjoy the cheerful and party atmosphere of the tomato battle. Participants are instructed to squash tomatoes to avoid injuries. Many wear swimming glasses to protect their eyes from juice. Participants attack one another and also those watching the fight from their windows and balconies. The town centre remains covered with tomato paste after the festival. After an hourlong battle the streets are cleaned from tomato pulp, and participants can use public showers.
La Tomatina, along with the festival of San Fermin, is one of the most famous Spanish festivals, attracting plenty of tourists from around the world.
Photo: EPA
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