The annual San Fermin festival in northern Spain officially commenced on Monday, as more than 12,000 people crowded into the center of Pamplona to mark the start of the iconic event. The celebration began with the “Chupinazo,” a traditional rocket fired from the town hall balcony, signaling the start of festivities that draw visitors from across the globe, including Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States.
As the rocket signaled the opening, revelers in the plaza engaged in traditional celebrations, singing, dancing, and chanting “San Fermin, San Fermin, San Fermin,” while dousing one another in red wine and grape juice. Many participants were seen holding traditional red scarves throughout the spirited gathering.
The centerpiece of the festival, the running of the bulls, is scheduled to begin on Tuesday morning. Each day through July 14, at 8:00 a.m., several 600-kilogram fighting bulls will be released to charge through an 848-meter course of narrow streets in the Old Quarter, headed toward the bullring. The event is notoriously dangerous; it results in dozens of injuries annually, and there have been 16 recorded fatalities since 1924.
The festival, which dates back to the late 16th century to honor Pamplona’s patron saint, also includes concerts and parades. In the evenings, some of the bulls that participated in the morning run are killed in bullfights. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s novel, “The Sun Also Rises,” which famously depicted the festival and helped elevate its global profile.
As the event gets underway, animal rights activists have continued their long-standing protests against the bull runs. Demonstrators were spotted wearing bull horns and doused in red paint to express their opposition to the tradition.
