The return of Spain's iconic La Tomatina festival has sparked both excitement and controversy this year, as organizers implement unprecedented safety measures requiring all participants to sign liability waivers. What began as a spontaneous food fight among friends in 1945 has evolved into a globally recognized event attracting over 20,000 revelers to the small Valencian town of Buñol each August.

This year's festival marks a turning point in the event's 78-year history. Following several incidents during last year's chaotic tomato battle - including minor injuries, heat strokes, and property damage - local authorities have introduced strict new regulations. Participants must now watch a safety video, wear protective goggles, and sign documents acknowledging the risks involved in hurling 130 tons of overripe tomatoes at strangers.

The safety protocols have drawn mixed reactions from regular attendees. "It feels like we're losing the spontaneous spirit of La Tomatina," complained Miguel Ángel Torres, a Barcelona native who hasn't missed the festival in twelve years. "Part of the magic was the controlled chaos - now it's becoming too regulated." Others welcome the changes, noting that recent overcrowding had made the event increasingly dangerous.

Behind the scenes, organizers have been working with food safety experts and urban planners to redesign the battle zone. The main plaza has been divided into sectors with designated exit routes, while medical stations have tripled in number. A team of 200 volunteers will monitor the crowd, equipped with whistles to pause the tomato fight if necessary - a first in the festival's history.

The tomatoes themselves remain carefully selected for the occasion. Grown specifically for the festival in nearby Extremadura, the fruit meets precise ripeness standards to ensure they're soft enough not to cause injury but firm enough to throw. Trucks deliver the crimson ammunition at precisely 11am, when water cannons signal the start of the hour-long food fight.

Local businesses have embraced the new safety measures, recognizing their importance for the festival's long-term survival. "We can't risk another tragedy like the 2013 running of the bulls in Pamplona," said Buñol's mayor, Rafael Pérez. "La Tomatina is our town's identity - we must protect both participants and tradition." Shop owners have begun selling official protective gear alongside their usual offerings of paella and sangria.

Tour operators report that international interest remains strong despite the new requirements. Visitors from Japan, Australia, and the United States continue to dominate foreign participation, with many citing the enhanced safety measures as reassurance rather than deterrent. "I feel better knowing there's proper medical support," said Wisconsin schoolteacher Emily Dawson, attending for the first time. "I didn't fly halfway across the world to get hurt by a tomato."

The festival's economic impact cannot be overstated. Hotels within 30 kilometers of Buñol have been fully booked for months, while Valencia's international airport prepares for its busiest weekend of the summer. Local farmers benefit directly from the tomato purchases, and street vendors typically see their annual earnings double during the event week.

As the countdown begins for this year's tomato battle on August 30, debate continues about how much regulation is too much for such a famously anarchic celebration. What remains unquestioned is La Tomatina's enduring appeal - a testament to humanity's universal desire to occasionally abandon decorum and revel in joyful, messy catharsis. The signed waivers may represent a new era, but the spirit of tomatoes flying through the hot Spanish air remains deliciously unchanged.