In Spain's Revered Food Fight, There's Only One Rule

Key Points:

• Thousands gathered in Buñol, Spain, on Wednesday for the annual La Tomatina festival, where up to 165 tons of overripe tomatoes were hurled in a large-scale food fight lasting over an hour.
• The event, held on the last Wednesday of August, dates back to 1945 and was banned during the 1950s under dictator Francisco Franco before becoming a national and international attraction in the 1980s.
• Over 20,000 participants were expected this year, with about 40% being tourists, including a notable increase in visitors from India inspired by the 2011 Bollywood film "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara," which featured the festival.
• Attendees pay $17.50 for entry, must squash tomatoes before throwing to prevent injuries, and often wear protective gear like goggles and earplugs; the event concludes with a cannon blast and communal showers, leaving the town’s streets cleaner due to the tomatoes' citric acid.
• Similar tomato-throwing festivals have been held internationally in locations such as Florida, London, Amsterdam, Colombia, and India.