Referred to as the biggest food fight in Europe, the Battle of the Oranges takes over the town of Ivrea, Italy on the three days preceding Lent. While the 2021 Battle of the Oranges was cancelled due to Covid, 2022’s event takes place on February 27 – March 1.  Around 9,000 tons of oranges are cast in a battle between the townsfolk represented by nine teams of orange throwers and tyrannical orange-yielding soldiers in their carts.

The Battle of the Oranges is highly regulated and steeped in tradition, as part of the longer Historical Carnival of Ivrea. Legend has it that Violetta, a beautiful miller’s daughter refused to comply with the local baron’s droit du seigneur (lord’s right), by which he was allowed to sleep with her on her wedding night.