Tomatina festival in Bunol, Spain paints the town red (PHOTOS)
Revelers throw tomato pulp at the annual Tomatina festival on August 29, 2012 in Bunol, Spain. An estimated 35,000 people throw 120 tons of ripe tomatoes in the world’s biggest tomato fight held annually in this Spanish Mediterranean town.
What's been dubbed the "world's biggest foodfight" got underway today in Spain, where thousands celebrated the abundant tomato harvest by pelting 120 tons of the fruit at each other in the streets of Bunol, a village near Valencia, the Washington Post reported.
The annual Tomatina food fight is now in its 64th year, according to the Associated Press.
AFP reported that many wore yellow T-shirts emblazoned with "Fanatic of the Tomatina," and swimming goggles to keep the acidic juice out of their eyes. Snorkels could be spotted in photos of the shenanigans, too.
The decades-old tradition always takes place on the last Wednesday in August, and this year is expected to bring the town about $380,000 in revenue, AFP reported. Though its origins are unclear, the festival is thought to have stemmed from a friendly food fight between children in the 1940s, AFP said.
The story you just read is available for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll get us one step closer to our goal of raising $25,000 by June 14. We need your help now more than ever!