The Chuong Market in Dong Son District happens only once a year on the 6th day of the Lunar New Year. This year, the date fell on Thursday.
The market was most crowded in the morning, and around 5,000 people filled it this year.
The event offered a variety of local signature agricultural products for sale, such as apples and vegetables, and traditional cuisine like steamed rice roll cakes.
Many bought tomatoes so they could throw them at each other in highly-anticipated tomato fights.
A kilogram of tomatoes sold for around VND40,000-50,000 ($1.64-2.04).
People stand in groups as they wait for the tomato fight. People can come to the Chuong Market as strangers and throw tomatoes and eggs at each other, with the belief that the more one gets thrown at, the luckier they will be.
Crowds of people gather for the once-a-year Chuong Market. Video by VnExpress/Le Hoang
Two groups of young people throw tomatoes and eggs at each other, right at the entrance to the market.
A girl soaked in tomato seeds during a fight at the event.
There are many tales regarding the birth of the Chuong Market, including one about the Lam Son Revolution against the rule of Ming China in the 15th century. It is said that when the revolution army was chased down by invaders to the banks of the Hoang River, the people came to the site and held the market there in order to help the soldiers blend into the crowd.
Generals and soldiers alike dressed up as farmers, and their weapons were hidden inside stacks of vegetables and tents. When the invaders were distracted, the generals signaled for a counterattack. Thanks to their unity, the invaders were defeated.
To commemorate the event, people hold a session of the Chuong Market every year on the 6th day of the Lunar New Year, with the tomato fights as part of the event.
A woman’s hair is covered in tomato seeds. She said she had heard about the Choang Market for a long time, but this was the first time she participated in it.
"I don't know if I'm lucky yet, but for now my new clothes are stained with mud and tomatoes," she said.
Police officers patrol the site to monitor the situation.
In previous years, the market has often seen fights between groups of young men. Some people have taken advantage of the occasion to settle conflicts, and some people have been injured in the fights.
Several tourists were scared to see groups of people chasing down each other while carrying weapons, including sticks to blades. Some even had to jump into the Hoang River to get escape fights.
Due to the sheer number of people at the event, authorities from Dan Quyen Commune, Trieu Son District cooperated with Dong Hoang Commune to build a bridge across the Hoang River.
