Spain's Tomatina festival returns after two years, netizens say 'take the town & paint it red'

The Tomatina festival is one of the most important festivals in Spain. Tomatina, usually known as La Tomatina, is held annually in Bunol, Valencia, towards the end of August. The festival is a part of a week-long celebration in honour of the patron saints of the town, Luis Bertran and the Virgin Mary, known as the Mare de Deu dels Desemparats (Mother of God of the Defenseless). The festival was put on a halt due to the deadly COVID-19 virus, but this year the festival marked its comeback after two long years.

On Wednesday, the 75th edition of the La Tomatina festival was celebrated with large numbers of enthusiasts showering each other with tomatoes in the Spanish town of Bunol. The tomato festival, which is touted as the largest food fight in the world, has grown in popularity over the years among foreign tourists, especially those from Britain, Australia, Japan, and the United States. The grand celebrations started with six trucks unloading the tomatoes, and reportedly, people hurled around 130 tonnes of over-ripe tomatoes at each other. The food fight is followed by festivities, including concerts and contests, which last into the night.

Many people from different parts of the world flocked to experience the festival and took to social media to share a sneak peek of their celebrations. The visuals showed people wearing glasses to protect their eyes while dressed in T-shirts and shorts and completely coated in red juice. As soon as the pictures and videos of the celebrations surfaced online, netizens took no time and rushed to the comment section to express their love for the festival. One user wrote, "Wow what a unique experience, def looks like everyone is having the time of their lives." Another user commented, "So Fun." A third user commented, "A tomato war."

Check Tomatina festival videos here:

The La Tomatina Festival began on the last Wednesday of August in 1945, when some young people gathered in the town square to witness the march of giants and big-heads In 2002, Spain's tourism minister declared the occasion a "festivity of worldwide tourist interest" due to its widespread popularity. Since 2013, participation in the event has been restricted to ticket holders in order to limit overcrowding.

While the festival marked its return after a two-year hiatus, the people were overjoyed and enjoyed it to the fullest without any restrictions.