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10 Juicy Photos from Colombia's Tomato-Throwing Festival

10 Juicy Photos from Colombia's Tomato-Throwing Festival

By Jordi Lippe and Jordi Lippe-McGraw

June 06, 2016

Getty Images

What do you do with one perfectly good tomato? Maybe eat it. What do you do with millions of them? You hurl them at complete strangers. At least you do if you're at the annual Tomatina Festival in Colombia.

While a more famous tomato-throwing event takes place each year near Valencia, Spain, the Colombian festival is to honor the area's surplus tomato production, some of the highest in Latin America. About 20,000 people showed up over the weekend to the town of Sutamarchán, near Bogotá, to participate in the 10th edition of the massive food fight.

The three-day long celebration focuses on all things tomato, including eating contests and a race to find the largest tomato. Of course the main event comes when locals and tourists alike throw overripe tomatoes at each other in a sloppy extravaganza.

It’s this red mess that makes for some pretty incredible photos. Check out these amazing shots of Colombians sloshing around in their massive tomato battle zone.

Start Slideshow

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Heaping piles of tomatoes

Credit: Getty Images

Preparations include gathering incredible masses of tomatoes for people to throw at each other.

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Picking up ammo

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One young boy grabs a tomato to prepare for battle.

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Double-fisting

Credit: Getty Images

Another boy doubles up.

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He's been hit

Credit: Getty Images

This child felt the force of tomato power.

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Watch where you step

Credit: Getty Images

Thousands of people squash the red fruit beneath their feet.

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Good aim

Credit: Getty Images

There are so many people that you're almost guaranteed to hit someone.

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Crowds flock to the event

Credit: Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people showed up for this year's festival.

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A sea of red

Credit: Getty Images

Things got a bit messy.

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Tomatoes for days

Credit: Getty Images

Both ocals and tourists enjoyed the tomatoes.

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Stomp your feet

Credit: Getty Images

Stomping on tomatoes like they're grapes at a vineyard.

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