The big day is the culmination of a week long festival which begins with a large soapy pole being erected in the middle of town. On the top is a leg of ham, the prize for anyone brave enough, or silly enough to try and scale the pole.

At 11:00am a shot is fired and the chaos begins. Trucks loaded with tomatoes roll in and those onboard hurl tomatoes at the crowd to start the battle. Once the vehicle stops and the crowds descend upon it, everything turns tomato red within seconds.

On the sounding of the second shot, the fight comes to an end and the masses head off to be hosed down and then take the festivities into the afternoon.