THE first running of the bulls at the world-famous San Fermin event took place on Sunday morning on the streets of Pamplona.
It was the first of nine morning runs during the celebrations in the northern Spanish city.
This year’s event began with the Chupinazo firework blast, a symbolic tradition dating back to the early 20th century.
READ MORE:
Up to 4,000 runners take part in each bull run, which takes place over 846 metres and lasts between three to four minutes.
Most runners wear the traditional garb of white trousers and shirt with red sash and neckerchief.
The expert Spanish runners try to sprint just in front of the bull’s horns for a few death-defying seconds while egging the animal on with a rolled newspaper.
More than 25,000 people gathered in the streets of Pamplona to experience the first run, with over 14,000 packed in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
While gorings are not rare, many more people are bruised and injured in falls and pileups with each other.
Medics rush in to treat the injured and take the seriously hurt to a hospital.
The rest of each day is for eating, drinking, dancing and cultural entertainment, including bull fights where the animals that run in the morning are slain in the bull ring by professional matadors each afternoon.
The festival was made internationally famous by Ernest Hemingway’s classic 1926 novel ‘The Sun Also Rises’ about American bohemians enjoying life in Europe.
Click here to read more La Cultura News from The Olive Press.
