Practically everybody knows about The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. For those that don’t, it’s an annual event held in Spain during the week-long San Fermin festival in which organizers release bulls into packed streets, allowing people to “run” alongside of them. Of course, controversy surrounds the event with stories of participants getting injured and/or gored by the bulls’ horns. Perhaps because of the inherent danger factoring into running alongside wild bulls, The Running of the Bulls is a popular event near the top of many’s bucket list. Unfortunately, making accommodations to attend The Running of the Bulls is quite costly.
Thankfully, one group is replicating the awe behind The Running of the Bulls (as well as the Tomato Royale), bringing the experience across a nation-wide tour. The Great Bull Run has already visited seven U.S. cities to date and will be coming to the Chicagoland area this Saturday. Obviously, I couldn’t let a chance like this go past, and I will be taking part in The Great Bull Run’s festivities at the Hawthorne Race Course, both running alongside bulls and taking part in the Tomato Royale. To prepare for the run, I had a chance to speak to Rob Dickens, the Chief Operating Officer of The Great Bull Run about the event’s history, their reasons why they’re bringing the experience to the States, and the key differences between The Running of the Bulls and The Great Bull Run. Read on for our interview, and keep your eyes out for my first-hand experience at The Great Bull Run next week!
If you’re interested in attending The Great Bull Run on July 12th, tickets are still available for the event. I hope to see you there!
[Photos courtesy of The Great Bull Run, LLC]