At the annual fiesta in Bunol on Wednesday, trucks dumped 125 tons of ripe tomatoes for some 22,000 participants —many from abroad — to throw during the hour-long morning festivities. This was the second year non-resident participants were charged — 10 euros ($13) — to take part. The town of about 20,000 people began charging to help pay off debts of some 5.5 million euros. The event was sold out weeks ahead.
The event was inspired by a food fight between local children in 1945 in the tomato-producing region.
Revelers throw tomatoes while participating in the annual "Tomatina" festival on Aug. 27, 2014 in the town of Bunol in Valencia province, Spain. (Evrim Aydin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
A man lays in a puddle of squashed tomatoes during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol, Spain. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
People lay in a puddle of squashed tomatoes during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol,Spain. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Men throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol, Spain. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers throw tomatoes while participating in the annual "Tomatina" festival on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol, Spain. (Evrim Aydin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Crowds of people throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol, Spain. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers throw tomatoes while participating in the annual "Tomatina" festival on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol, Spain. (Evrim Aydin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Revelers throw tomatoes while participating in the annual "Tomatina" festival on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol, Spain. (Evrim Aydin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Crowds of people throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol, Spain. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers throw tomatoes while participating in the annual "Tomatina" festival on Aug. 27, 2014 in Bunol, Spain. (Evrim Aydin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)