The thrill and events of Spain’s famous “Running of the Bulls” can now be experienced year-long across the U.S. in “The Great Bull Run” festival.
The first U.S. bull run was held just this August in Dinwiddie, Virginia. Many more “Great Bull Run” festivals are planned to be held throughout the year. The event will be visiting Central Florida this upcoming February.
Inspired by Pamplona’s famous running of the bulls festival in July, the new U.S. bull running events consist of a fenced-in quarter-mile track with up to 1,000 runners and 24 bulls. The U.S. version is a little different, as the bull runs are held in areas like horse racing tracks, not in streets. The U.S. event also claims that they do not abuse or kill the bulls in relation to the event, though this does not dissuade animal rights activists from attending the festivals in protest.
“It sounds cool, but dangerous at the same time,” said freshman Arianna Stravato. “If people get run over it’s a bad thing.”
After the bull runs, each festival holds a “Tomato Royale,” which is a giant food fight with tomatoes. The food fight is open to everyone over the age of 14, providing that they have purchased a ticket for it.
Each festival occurs over the course of one day, including bands, games, and food along with The Great Bull Run and Tomato Royale. Runners must be at least 18 years of age, but those younger or those who don’t wish to run with the bulls can attend as spectators.
“I’d give it a shot, I mean it’d be interesting,” said sophomore Elliott Gordon, when asked if he would attend as a spectator.
The festival reflects Spain’s tradition as many of those attending dress in red and white apparel. The runners are given a red “Great Bull Run” bandana, which is used in part of the run’s opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony starts when the runners are first walked around the length of the track, in order to familiarize themselves with it as they are reminded the rules. They then are asked to hold their bandanas in the air as they repeat the chant that the announcer calls out to salute the runners to the race. The crowd cheers, and then the runners are asked to stand to the side in order to create a path for the bulls before they are released.
“It’s really dangerous and there’s no real reward for it,” said sophomore Allison Lloyd.
The “Great Bull Run” event makes sure that runners are aware of the dangers. The event states that to participate in the run, the runner must “accept the risk that [they] might be trampled, gored, rammed or tossed in the air by a bull, or bumped, jostled, tripped or trampled by [their] fellow runners.” There are medical staff at the ready in case of injury at all of the event’s bull runs. Despite the dangers, though, there have only been 15 recorded deaths in Pamplona’s running of the bulls throughout the past century.
As the U.S. bull runs attract the thrill seekers in America, the events continue to sell out and gain in popularity.
“It’d be cool if we could accept it and I mean endorse it,” said Gordon. “It’s a sport from another culture.”