Food Fights Around the World

People in different countries enjoy different kinds of food.

But whatever they like to eat, they also love to take part in a good and messy food fight.

Here are three of the best-known food fights around the globe.

• La Tomatina

This annual festival takes place in the town of Bunol, Spain.

On the last Wednesday of August, thousands of residents and visitors come out on the street armed with over-ripe tomatoes.

Then, an enormous tomato battle takes place for about two hours.

The event began in the 1940s, when two men threw tomatoes as an expression of political protest.

Now, the festival is held every year for people's enjoyment.

• The Battle of the Oranges

The Battle of the Oranges is a festival in Ivrea, a town in northern Italy.

According to legends, it takes place to commemorate an uprising in the 12th century, when the townspeople stood up against a tyrant.

The festival is held for three days in February.

Teams of participants throw oranges in place of weapons and stones.

They toss the fruits toward a group of riders in a cart, who represent the tyrant and his followers.

For fun, the teams also throw oranges at one another.

• The Greek Flour War

This food fight takes place in Galaxidi, a coastal fishing town in Greece.

It is held in February, when the Orthodox Lent is about to begin.

But before the start of the religious fast, the townspeople come out on the street with bags of colored flour.

Some wear goggles and masks to protect their face.

The battle starts with the ringing of cowbells, and the townspeople bombard each other with about 1.4 tons of flour.

 

@ protest prə|test   항의[반대/이의] (운동), 시위 /   항의[반대]하다, 이의를 제기하다

@ commemorate  kəˈmeməreɪt   (중요 인물·사건을) 기념하다

@ townspeople  ˈtaʊnzpiːpl  도시[읍] 주민

@ tyrant ˈtaɪrənt  폭군, 독재자 (=dictator)

@ represent  ˌreprɪˈzent   (행사·회의 등에서 단체 등을) 대표[대신]하다

@ religious fast  종교상의 금식

@ bombard  bɑːmˈbɑːrd    (폭격·공격을) 퍼붓다

@ in place of = in place = instead of  대신에