Heads tilted far back, Dutch revellers hold the raw, onion-coated fish by their tails and drop them down their open gullets.

Welcome to the port of Scheveningen, where the Netherlands is marking the arrival of the season's first catch of new herring.

Canceled for two years because of COVID-19, 2022's festival drew tens of thousands of fans of the divisive delicacy. Former fisherman Simon Pronk, 72, said the oily fish is the "most important thing" for Scheveningen. Every year from around mid-June, the Dutch consume millions of herring, and people can be seen all round the country swallowing the slippery snack.

The 2022's festival, known as "Vlaggetjesdag" (day of the little flags), returned to its former glory, with ships lining the harbor and dozens of stalls selling herring and fishing-related trinkets on Saturday.