The San Fermin Festival, famous for the running of the bulls, has kicked off in Pamplona with the firing of the Chupinazo rocket from the city hall balcony.
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Tens of thousands of spectators crowded the square on Saturday, most of them dressed in traditional white, waving red scarves and shouting "Viva San Fermin".
Spain's RTVE state television carried the ceremony of the increasingly controversial but popular event live.
"I'm very moved. My father always watched it on television and dreamed of being here one day, He didn't manage it, and he's no longer with us. I'm here for him," a tearful Mexican woman told RTVE.
The first of eight bull runs will be held from Sunday.
The festival is dedicated to Pamplona's patron saint and dates back to the end of the 16th century.
While the San Fermin Festival also includes numerous concerts and processions, the bull runs and bullfights are the highlight of the festivities.
Each day between Sunday July 7 and July 14, hundreds of people will chase six massive bulls, some weighing over 600 kilograms, and several oxen through the city's narrow alleyways into an arena where bullfights are held in the evening.
Every year, several people are injured while running the 875 metre long course.
The animals are not hurt.
Animal rights activists have been protesting against the bull runs for years terming them "Medieval cruelty."
Despite this, the festival continues to attract thousands of visitors from all over the world, mainly from Europe, Australia, Asia and the US.
Australian Associated Press
