Pamplona may have the running of the bulls.
But Dunedin has the running of the balls.
An estimated 14,000 people lined Baldwin St in Dunedin for the annual World's Steepest Street Party and Cadbury Jaffa Race yesterday.
It was a street party atmosphere, with stilt-walkers, clowns and jugglers threading the crowd, while small children watched from their perches on grown-up shoulders.
Baldwin St residents had some of the best seats in the house.
"It's been great fun. We get all our friends around with their kids," mother of three Hayley Smeaton said.
"My 3-year-old, Jacob, thought a chocolate factory was going to come rolling down the hill."
However, 4-year-old Alex Williamson found himself in a sticky situation when he tied to reach through a safety barrier to nab some passing Jaffas.
"He got stuck. I tried to push him, but I couldn't move him," his mother, Tanya Williamson, said.
"I was very grateful when a security lady helped me get him out. He was a bit upset, but he still wants to come back next year."
The 350m race track has a gradient of 19, dropping from 100m above sea level to just 10m, and is ratified by Guinness World Records as the steepest street in the world.
At 12.35pm, 25,000 giant red Jaffas began rumbling down the street. The most enthusiastic Jaffa got home in 35 seconds.
The second race saw 25,000 black-and-white Jaffas lining up, and a winning time of 28 seconds.
The 50,000 individually numbered Jaffas were sold for $1 apiece, the first five in each race to reach a chute at the bottom winning prizes for their owners.
"It's a classic event for Dunedin," Cadbury New Zealand managing director Alastair De Raadt said after the race.
"I can't think of anywhere else in the world where large amounts of confectionery get rolled down the street." The event raised $24,560 for Parents Centre of New Zealand and $25,000 for Cure Kids, and has now given more than $450,000 for local charities since it debuted in 2002.
