Thousands of people will paint a town red with tomato pulp Wednesday, flinging the fruit at one another in the 80th anniversary of Spain’s famous “Tomatina” tomato street fight .

The hourlong event brings 120 tons of overripe tomatoes to the eastern town of Buñol, where tarp-covered buildings flank a crowd of up to 22,000 participants awaiting their ammo. Non-local attendees pay 15 euros ($17.50) for a ticket and arrive from countries across the globe or cities a bus ride away.

“When it’s going on, it’s just a blur of tomatoes,” said Adrian Columb of Ireland, who attended in 1999. “It was a blast.”

Here’s what to know about the “Tomatina” festival:

The anniversary of a spontaneous food fight

Held on the last Wednesday of August, the event was inspired by a food fight between local

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