- The famous "Tomatina" festival in Buñol, Spain, is celebrating its 80th anniversary this Wednesday (August 27), with thousands expected to participate in the hour-long event.
- Up to 22,000 attendees will be drenched in 120 tons of specifically cultivated, overripe tomatoes, transforming the town into a vibrant red spectacle.
- Originating from a spontaneous food fight in 1945, the annual event, held on the last Wednesday of August, gained international recognition after televised media attention in the 1980s and was officially recognised as an international tourism attraction in 2002.
- Participants, many travelling globally and paying 15 euros for entry, are advised to squash tomatoes before throwing them to prevent injuries, with some opting for swimming goggles and earplugs.
- After the battle, participants use communal showers, and the citric acid from the tomatoes surprisingly cleans the streets, leaving them tidier than before.
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