Buñol hosts La Tomatina festival with 22,000 participants

The annual La Tomatina festival took place in Buñol, Spain, drawing approximately 22,000 participants for the world's largest tomato fight. During the hour-long event, participants threw between 150 and 165 tons of overripe tomatoes, turning the streets red.

Originating from a spontaneous scuffle in 1945, the tradition faced bans during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco before gaining international fame in the 1980s. Today, the festival is a highly regulated and organized event designed to manage large crowds and ensure safety, including instructions to crush tomatoes before throwing them to prevent injury.

The event has become a significant cultural and economic phenomenon, attracting a high percentage of international tourists, including visitors from the United Kingdom and India.