Thousands of individuals flocked to Buñol on Wednesday for the yearly La Tomatina food battle, transforming the small Spanish village into a sea of red with around 165 tonnes of ripe tomatoes. The chaotic showdown lasted for over an hour in the town near València, where structures were shielded with coverings in anticipation of the event.

Before the festival, a man draped a house with a tarp to shield it from the airborne tomatoes. The tradition of the festival dates back to a food clash in 1945. This year, over 20,000 people are anticipated to participate, with 40 percent of attendees in the last three years being tourists from outside Spain, as reported by the Spanish EFE news agency.

Non-local participants purchase a 15-euro ticket to join the fun, with the main rule being to squash the tomatoes before tossing them to prevent injuries. Despite this rule, many attendees opt to wear swimming goggles and earplugs for added protection during the tomato mayhem.