The first heart-pounding bull run of 2025 kicked off the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, attracting thousands of spectators and daredevils from all over the world. In a centuries-old display of bravery, six enormous bulls roared down the winding cobblestone alleyways at 8 a.m., sending runners toppling, skidding, and scurrying for their lives.
Along the 875-meter course from Corrales de Santo Domingo to the city’s bullring, competitors had to dodge the stampeding beasts during the legendary event, which was made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. It lasted just under three minutes. On the first day, no significant gorings were reported, although a number of runners received treatment for minor bruises and injuries.
Despite the frenetic energy and unadulterated excitement that characterise the marathon, festival organisers and local officials commended the audience for keeping the peace. Many of the participants were first-time or bucket-list visitors from as far away as the United States, Japan, Australia, and Latin America.
Through July 14, there will be religious services, concerts, traditional dances, and daily bull runs as part of the San Fermin fiesta. For now, Pamplona has once again come alive with tradition, danger, and spectacle, uniting thrill-seekers and culture lovers in a weeklong celebration like no other.
