La Tomatina is a popular festival, held in Bunol, Spain. This festival was first held in the last Wednesday of August in 1945. The number of participants from all around the world have been increased significantly year over year, thanks to promotions held by the Spain Tourism Ministry. The highlight of the festival is the tomato fight which takes place between 9 am and 1pm on that day. A week-long festival leads up to the big tomato fight, which includes parades, fireworks and even a Paella cooking contest (a traditional food of Bunol. On the big day, at 11 AM sharp, participants struggle to climb to the top of the pole to bring down the ham to start the festival. Before taking part in the festival, participants are recommended to wear goggles to protect their eyes from the acid in the tomatoes. La Tomatina safety regulations require that tomatoes are squished before being thrown so they don't hurt when they impact. Besides, no one is allowed to carry sharp objects and to not tear others' clothes. A cannon is fired to signal the beginning and end of the tomato-throwing. Firefighters use water canons to clear and wash down the streets after the festival. The event has become one of the highlights on Spain’s summer festivals calendar with thousands of people flocking to this little Valencian town for this chaotic event. This is really a big festival for Spainish and it helps them rest after working-hard days.