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Spain's 'running of the bulls' festival opens in Pamplona
DW.com • • world
Key Points:
- Over 12,000 people gathered in Pamplona, Spain, to celebrate the start of the Festival of San Fermin, famous for its running of the bulls event.
- The festival began with the traditional "Chupinazo," a rocket launch from the town hall balcony, followed by revelers pouring wine and grape juice, singing, and waving red scarves.
- The bull runs start Tuesday morning, featuring several 600-kilogram bulls running through narrow streets toward a bullring, with daily events continuing until July 14.
- The festival is known for its risks, with dozens injured annually and 16 fatalities since 1924; bulls are also killed in evening bullfights, alongside concerts and parades.
- Animal rights activists protested the event, and the festival's international fame is partly attributed to Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises," which celebrates the tradition.
