The world's biggest and famous tomato fight in Spain, La Tomatina has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 75th annual La Tomatina street fiesta which was supposed to be held on August 26, won't be held this day. Mayor Juncal Carrascosa confirmed the news and said they were being responsible in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. After being started other than once in 1957, this is the first time the tomato festival has been cancelled. This is another hit on Spain's tourism industry. The development comes after the famous Fiesta de San Fermin, the Pamplona bull run was called off because of the crisis situation. From Oktoberfest to NYC Pride Parade to La Tomatina, List of Major Festivals and Events Cancelled in the Wake of Coronavirus Outbreak.

In La Tomatino, around 20,000 people come together in the town of Bunol in Valencia and throw ripe tomatoes at each other. The festival attracts people from across the world who come armed in crushed tomatoes in their hands. Mayor Juncal Carrascosa was quoted as saying, "There is no escaping how difficult it would be to organise our most international party under these conditions, where the optimal conditions of sanitary control for the participants could not be guaranteed."

Juncal Carrascosa said deputy mayor, María Valles, in charge of the fiesta organisation, suggested the cancellation of La Tomatina with the local council which was unanimously approved. It was then decided that the announcement shall not be made until April 27, but as the information was leaked, a formal announcement was made. María Vallés said they were trying to ensure that the 2021 edition of the festival will be held without any delay. Also, the 2021 event would be celebrated as the belated 75th anniversary under the slogan 75 plus one.

She said, "We have to look to the future at all times, with the certainty that all this will happen. We have had to live a complex situation that had not been produced so far and we are facing it, with the spirit implicit in Tomatina herself, fighting peacefully to beat the virus."

The San Fermin celebration is centuries old and attended by thousands of people. The event was supposed to be held between July 6 and 14, but won't happen this year. Spain has been among the worst affected places due to coronavirus pandemic. Until now, there has been more than 208,389 cases and over 21,717 deaths.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 23, 2020 10:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).