Spain’s ‘Tomatina’ battle returns after pandemic hiatus

BUNOL, Spain (AP) — People from around the world have pasted each other with tomatoes as Spain’s famous “Tomatina” street tomato fight took place once again following a two-year suspension owing to the coronavirus pandemic. Workers on trucks unloaded 130 tons of over-ripe tomatoes along the main street of the eastern town of Bunol on Wednesday for participants to throw, leaving the area drenched in red pulp. Up to 20,000 people were to take part in the festival, paying 12 euros ($12) a ticket for the privilege. The town’s streets are hosed down and the revelers showered off within minutes of the battle ending. The event, held on the last Wednesday of August, was inspired by a food fight between local children in 1945 in the town in a tomato-producing region.

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