Spain's annual Tomatina festival, celebrating its 80th anniversary, is a massive tomato fight attracting up to 22,000 people. Participants hurl 120 tons of overripe, specially grown tomatoes at each other for an hour. Originating from a spontaneous food fight in 1945, it was briefly banned but later became a globally recognized tourism event. The only rule is to squash the tomatoes before throwing to minimize injuries. While the tomatoes are inedible, the citric acid helps clean the streets afterward. Similar festivals have emerged worldwide, but Tomatina remains unique to Buñol, Spain.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.