La Tomatina festival attendees throw tomatoes, 'dying' eastern Spanish town red

Kha Ninh

06:20 | August 29, 2024

Thousands of people have flocked to Brunol (Spain) to take part in a 'fiery' food fight, throwing 120 tons of tomatoes at the La Tomatina festival.

Brunol, a small town in Valencia, Spain. Every year during the festival season, the whole town is extremely bustling to welcome tens of thousands of tourists to participate in the world's most famous tomato "fight". (Source: Reuters)

La Tomatina or Tomato Festival is considered the largest fruit-throwing festival in Europe. Initiated by an impromptu food fight by local vendors in 1945, however, the festival was once banned because it had no religious significance. (Source: Reuters)

Later, the festival was “revived” and organized by local people to pray for a good harvest and to commemorate the patron saint Louis Bertrand and the Virgin Mary Mare de Déu dels Desemparats. (Source: Reuters)

The tomato festival is held annually on the last Wednesday of August and lasts for a week. Notably, the festival is held on the same day as Saint Louis Bertrand – the city’s patron saint – and the Virgin Mary Mare de Déu dels Desemparats. (Source: Reuters)

La Tomatina is known as a unique festival in Spain. This year, 22,000 people from all over the world flocked to Brunol to participate in the festival. (Source: Reuters)

Early in the morning, trucks carrying dozens of tons of ripe tomatoes are brought to the Plaza del Pueblo in the center of town. The tomato throwing festival only begins when someone manages to get a piece of bacon down from the top of the pole. (Source: Reuters)

When the meat is removed, the “fierce” food fights begin and also signal the end of the game. (Source: Reuters)

People excitedly held red tomatoes in their hands and threw them at each other with joyful shouts. (Source: Reuters)

The noisy and chaotic battle usually lasts for about 1 to 2 hours. Every corner of the town is dyed bright red. (Source: Reuters)

Immediately after the battle, fire trucks will use water hoses to clean up the “traces” of tomatoes. Participants flock to the Bunol River and soak themselves to wash off the tomato layer on their bodies. (Source: Reuters)

Bunol has only about 9,000 residents, but every year, the town welcomes tens of thousands of tourists who come to visit and participate in the war. (Source: Reuters)

Before the tomato festival, people covered and protected their houses, shops and buildings with curtains to avoid damage from the tomato-soaked war. (Source: Reuters)

Tomatoes used for the festival are imported from the town of Extremadura, which is cheaper and of lower quality than regular tomatoes. It is estimated that hundreds of tons of tomato “weapons” are consumed at the annual La Tomatina festival. (Source: Reuters)

In addition to the tomato-throwing festival, the town also organizes sideline activities throughout the week, such as music programs, parades and even artistic fireworks displays. The most special is the paella cooking competition held the night before the "fight". (Source: Reuters)

(according to Reuters)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nguoi-tham-du-le-hoi-la-tomatina-nem-ca-chua-nhuom-do-thi-tran-mien-dong-tay-ban-nha-284248.html