Watch: Revellers paint the town red in Spain's annual tomato fight

Revellers throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina", tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. Thousands gather in this eastern Spanish town for the annual street tomato battle that leaves the streets and participants drenched in red pulp from 120,000 kilos of tomatoes. Photo:AP/Alberto Saiz

Revellers hurled tonnes of over-ripe tomatoes at each other on Wednesday (August 30) in the eastern Spanish town of Bunol, at the annual "Tomatina" festival.

Trucks loaded with tomatoes drove through the main street, distributing the sappy projectiles while partygoers threw them and covered each other in red juice.

The Tomatina is said to have originated from a spontaneous bust-up amongst villagers in 1945.

It was banned for a while during the 1950s at the height of General Francisco Franco's dictatorship, but survived to gain popularity across Spain in the 1980s and today draws large crowds of visitors from abroad as well as Spaniards.

Almost a decade ago, the organisers had to limit the capacity and started selling tickets, as the festival was too crowded.