The San Fermin festival

Held since 1591, the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain attracts thousands of foreign visitors each year for nine days of revelry, morning bull runs and afternoon bullfights. The festival, best known for its daily running of the bulls, kicked off July 6 with the traditional "Chupinazo" rocket launch and will run until July 14. Thrillseekers sprinted through Pamplona in a swift and relatively clean start to the running of the bulls July 7. No one was gored on Tuesday, but four people were hospitalized with bumps, bruises or scrapes, Spanish Red Cross spokesman Jose Aldaba said. On each day of the festival bulls are released at 8:00 a.m. to run from their corral through the narrow, cobbled streets of the old town over an 850-meter course. Ahead of them are the runners, who try to stay close to the bulls without falling over or being gored. ( 25 photos total)

Participants run ahead of Alcurrucen fighting bulls on the first day of the San Fermin bull run July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. (JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images)

Revelers carry a statue of Saint Fermin while participating in a procession at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 7. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) #

Revelers sing and play guitar during a procession at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 7. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) #

Revelers run on Estafeta Street as people look on from the balconies during the run of the Alcurrucen fighting bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 7. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) #

Revelers fall in front of a bull during the first run of the Alcurrucen fighting bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 7. (AP Photo/EFE/Jesus Diges) #

Participants run ahead of Alcurrucen fighting bulls on the second day of the San Fermin festival July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. (PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images) #

Participants wait for Alcurrucen fighting bulls on the first day of the San Fermin bull run July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. (JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images) #

Participants run ahead of Alcurrucen fighting bulls on the second day of the San Fermin festival July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. (A. ARRIZURIETA/AFP/Getty Images) #

A drunk reveller kneels on the ground as he tries to enter a building before the first day of the running of the bulls during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 7. (REUTERS/Susana Vera) #

Alcurrucen fighting bulls part a crowd of runners on the second day of the San Fermin festival July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. (A. ARRIZURIETA/AFP/Getty Images) #

Runners hold off an Alcurrucen fighting bull on the first day of the running of the bulls during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 7. (REUTERS/Joseba Etxaburu) #

Participants lunge away from Alcurrucen fighting bulls on the second day of the San Fermin festival July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. (A. ARRIZURIETA/AFP/Getty Images) #

A runner falls on Estafeta Street during the run of the Alcurrucen fighting bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 7. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) #

A reveler is tossed by a young calf in the bullring after the first bull run at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 7. (AP Photo/ EFE/Jesus Caso) #

A young calf wins this interaction in the bullring after the first bull run at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 7. (AP Photo/ EFE/Jesus Caso) #

Spanish mounted bullfighter Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza touches the head of a bull during a horseback bullfight at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 6. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) #

Revelers react as water is thrown from a balcony during the 'Chupinazo', the official opening of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 6. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza) #

Revellers wave their hands during the start of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 6. (REUTERS/Eloy Alonso) #

Revellers hold up traditional red scarves during the start of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 6. (REUTERS/Joseba Etxaburu) #

A reveller tries to take a drink of champagne during the start of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 6. (REUTERS/Eloy Alonso) #

Thousands of revelers enjoy the 'Chupinazo', the official opening of the 2009 San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) #

Revelers react as sparkling wine and water, thrown from a balcony, showers them during the 'Chupinazo', the official opening of the 2009 San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) #

A woman crowd-surfs during the 'Chupinazo', the official opening of the 2009 San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain July 6. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) #

A tourist jumps in celebration during the 'Chupinazo' in Pamplona July 6 to mark the start at noon sharp of the San Fermin festival where more than one million people are expected. (PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images) #

A couple kisses on the second day of the San Fermin festival July 7 in Pamplona, Spain. (PEDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images) #

More links and information

Festival of San Fermin Wikipedia entry -

See more great photography at The Boston Globe's photography home page here -

The Natural World: a weekly full-screen gallery of the best photographs in the world showing nature and the environment -

The best pictures of the week from the photography staff of the Boston Globe -

The Big Picture: news stories in photographs -

Sportsshooter.com, the online resource for sports photography -

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Surprised you guys didn't put your usual "objectionable content" warning over #16.

Posted by MikeUMA July 7, 09 10:09 PM

Great photos, but maybe the editor could come up with a synonym for "reveler" and "participant"? And in 14 or 15, those are cows, not young calves.

Viva San Fermin!

Posted by zabalburu July 7, 09 10:28 PM

WHY DO THESE FOOLS DO THIS EVERY YEAR????!!!!!
WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by TALL PAUL July 8, 09 10:11 AM

#3 Why do you go have parades, festivals and so on every July 4th?? I don't like San Fermines nor bullfighting, but please have some respect.

Posted by LarryBird July 8, 09 05:02 PM

Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza is Portuguese

Posted by tytyvillus July 8, 09 08:40 PM

I have been 2x to this festival and it is loads of fun, people just let loose and enjoy. And to the comment by Tall Paul, do have respect, others countries may think we have silly holidays, or over celebrate holidays here...but each country has a right to enjoy their festivals. Plus..our fellow Ernest Hemingway , was inspired to write a book about the San fermines, called "The Sun Also Rises, which in turn was his first successful novel. Plus Americans love this festival, it's actually filled with Americans.

Posted by Sarah July 9, 09 12:04 AM

Wild

Posted by Antonio Cobos July 9, 09 02:17 AM

Pablo Hermoso de Menzoza was born in Estella, Spain

Posted by From Estella July 9, 09 03:29 AM

The picture nr. 16 looks impressive, NOT... ... a beatiful animal tourtured to dead, bleeding non stop, dizzy.... an a "brave" bull fighter doing what??? taking the P.ss, ! COWARD

Posted by amadeus July 9, 09 05:49 AM

Viva San Fermin!!!!
But see also something more relaxing on youtube calle Balneario de Carratraca located near Málaga ( Andalucia ) southern Spain.
I thing that you,ll like it.

Posted by Pedro July 10, 09 01:27 PM

This looks crazy but i bet it's alot of fun. Is it just men that run or whoever wants to.

Posted by Rosie July 10, 09 05:34 PM

Type your comment here...

Posted by nieves July 10, 09 05:39 PM

POBRE GENTE ESTUPIDA

Posted by DAVIS July 11, 09 01:40 AM

Desde Uruguay. ¡Viva la fiesta de San Fermín !
Great photos...

Posted by Óscar July 11, 09 07:20 PM

davis, eres tonto o que, disfruta la vida, so tonto

Posted by alberto July 13, 09 12:21 PM

Is a wild festival, Oh my Gush!

But the rodeo is good. yeahh!!

Posted by Bandolero español July 13, 09 05:22 PM

It'll go on and on. Men torturing, using animals for their own "enjoyment', making them wild with fear. It's in Spain and everywhere...dog fights, cock fights, toros coleados in Venezuela, rodeos in the US.
Civilization is a big bluff. We are just as primitive as ever and sadistic by nature. It's just a human characteristic.
I have been in San Fermin. Its a sad, sad spectacle. But who cares ?

Posted by alba July 22, 09 01:03 PM

San fermin is Fantastic! I went to San Fermin last year. It's a fun event. It's just a sorta rush, for those who run. And the celebration is wild. I loved Spain and the people of Spain are friendly and exciting. Greetings from California :)

Posted by Nikita July 22, 09 11:51 PM

La ignorancia es atrevida!!
Hermoso de Mendoza es navarro,

Posted by Navarro December 30, 09 05:47 AM

Olá fascinante esta página parece muito estruturado.........boa:)
Muito agradável faz mais posts assim !!

Posted by Dinheiro Fácil February 22, 11 02:41 PM