If you wondered what Google’s Doodle was all about the other day…the answer lies above and below in pictures from Tomatina, the annual world’s biggest food fight, in which the Spanish town of Bunol is invaded by thousands of visitors (and locals) willing to spend the day throwing more than 330,000 pounds of tomatoes at each other.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first time and drew participants from Japan, Australia, Britain, the U.S. and more. It all started in 1945, when street revelers tipped over a produce stand and began throwing the tomatoes. Now it’s become an institution that drew 45,000 visitors this year, of whom about half took part in the mayhem. The town,
which has 10,000 residents, has hired a private company to sell tickets and manage the event. Proceeds from the €10 tickets go toward the town’s expenses and debts.
Participants are asked to squish the tomatoes before throwing to reduce injuries, and advised to wear goggles and old clothes. Duh.