Spain’s bull runs return with thrills, emotion

Pamplona’s bull festival, San Fermín, returns after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The festival began on July 6 with much excitement and brought families and friends together for the celebration. 

More than 10,000 people donned the customary white pants and red sash and neckerchief and packed the town hall square for its traditional “chupinazo” to commence the nine-day festivities.

The festival kicks off each day with running bulls each morning at 8 a.m.

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Runners fall as another is tossed by a fighting bull during the running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Monday, July 11, 2022. Pamplona is once again a sea of red and white as the frenzied madness of the San Fermín running of the bulls festival returns with adrenaline, emotion<i>,</i> and passion following a two-year suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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People run through the streets with fighting bulls and steers during the first day of the running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Pamplona’s population of some 200,000 bloats to nearly a million in San Fermín. For many foreigners, especially Americans, Australians and Britons, it’s a "bucket list" thing they have to do. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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A man runs through the streets carrying a fake bull’s head and horns that shoots out sparks in all directions, at the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Wednesday, July 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)


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People run through the streets with fighting bulls and steers during the first day of the running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Thursday, July 7, 2022. From the start _ July 6 _ the tension and excitement was palpable as tens of thousands of people donning the customary white trousers and shirt with red sash and neckerchief packed the town hall square for the traditional "chupinazo" firework that kicks off the nine-day festival. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) ( )


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People stand on wooden barriers to watch the running of the bulls on the first day at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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Bullfighter Jesus Colombo waves to revellers at the end of the bullfight during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Monday, July 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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A bullfighter performs in the bullring during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Monday, July 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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People attend a bullfight during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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 A woman dances "La Alpargata" dance at the end of the first day of the running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Thursday, July 7, 2022. On the fringes there is a wealth of great restaurants and tapa bars, while street bands, spontaneous parties and shows for children all go to place it among the most popular festivals in the world. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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A "banderillero" performs in the bullring during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Friday, July 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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 A dead bull is dragged out of the bullring during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Saturday, July 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)


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Medics attend to injured runners after the "encierro" at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, Monday, July 11, 2022. The festival highlight is undoubtedly the morning "encierros," or runs, that see hundreds of people of all ages _ mostly men _ testing their agility and bravery to run like mad with six fighting bulls and their guiding steer along an 875-meter (956-yard) route to Pamplona’s bullring, where later in the day the bulls are killed by professional bullfighters. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)


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Revellers attend a bullfight during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, Wednesday, July 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File) (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, File)

One attendee said he missed the festival during its two-year stoppage due to COVID-19.

“Two years without Pamplona was very, very bad,” he said to the Associated Press in Spanish. “How lucky to be with friends here this year in Pamplona. Fabulous. Hopefully next year there will be no more COVID.”

The city of Pamplona’s population is close to 200,000, but San Fermín brings nearly 1,000,000 people to the Spanish city. Many attendees have the festival on their bucket list. 

“It´s amazing atmosphere, amazing people, amazing opportunity to celebrate. We love it here,” said 21-year-old Harvey Miller, of Philadelphia, who was making his first trip with his sisters, Ashlei, 30, and Kayla, 23.

“I think people are trying to make up for lost time because two years off, that’s a while,” Miller said. “So, everyone is going extra hard this time around and the festival is bigger and better than ever.”

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The festival reunited friends and families from all over. Martín Chozas, 76, from Spain attended the festival for the first time and plans to stay “as long as the body puts up with it.”

¨This is like going to heaven,” said Chozas.

The highlight of the festival is the bull run in the morning where hundreds of people, mostly men test their strength and agility along a 956-yard route to Pamplona’s bullring. The bulls are later killed by professional bullfighters.

In addition, attendees enjoy a number of restaurants and tapas bars, spontaneous parties and shows for children to go to.

While the bulls do not attack unless provoked, goring is a possibility. In the seven runs that have occurred thus far, there have been four reported gorings. Goring is something that attendees embrace, but hope they do not happen.

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Eight people were gored during the last festival in 2019. Sixteen people have died in the bull run since 1910. The last death was in 2009. The Spanish Red Cross medics are on the scene to quickly respond to any injuries that occur during the bull run.

Prior to the pandemic, the festival was suspended during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.