The San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona kicks off with the chupinazo, a wine-soaked party

Tens of thousands of Spaniards and foreigners jammed a historic city plaza in Pamplona and sprayed each other with wine as a firecracker rocket blasted off to launch the famed San Fermin bull-running festival. The nine-day street drinking party got under way at midday with the traditional shout from the city hall balcony of "Viva San Fermin!," followed seconds later by the firing of the firecracker known as the chupinazo.