We all love celebrating things, be it birthdays, national holidays, or making it to the end of the week. Every week. At the end of the day, that's what life is all about—celebrating every day of life. Thus, it's essentially in our nature to find things to celebrate, hence the abundance of fun holidays, crazy events, and often weird festivals around the globe. Here, the key word is "weird."
We often present this word in a negative light; however, the "weird stuff" is exactly where the "fun stuff" is hiding. Think chasing a massive wheel of cheese down a steep slope is weird? It is, but it's also super fun! Albeit a little dangerous. And honestly, these unusual festivals happening around the globe are what maintain the balance of the world. Also, a massive tomato tussle is an excellent nationwide anger management solution. Yes, it's food waste, but so is leaving pizza crust on the plate at the restaurant. Interestingly, although many of these weirdest events and unique festivals resulted from commercial initiatives or, simply, boredom, no fewer of these yearly celebrations result from religious rituals or weird traditions practiced by the ancestors. Whether we like them or not, what do we do with them? We respect or, at a bare minimum, tolerate them. Also, these strange events around the world are a great source to make content about, and you love posts about all things weird and unusual, right? Right.
Enough with the blah blah, and let's hop right into the weird stuff you came here for. Below, we've compiled unusual events and some of the craziest festivals in the world that might strike you with their unusual premises and activities involved. Found any of these weird festivals fun or exciting? Or would like to attend one? Let us know by giving it an upvote. Also, are any weird events and festivals happening around where you live or somewhere around the globe that we missed including in the list? Let us know in the comments!
#1 Cheese Rolling — Gloucestershire, England, UK
Every year, grown adults, primarily men, congregate in a village in England around the end of May to pursue a rolling nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down a steep slope. Because of the steepness and unevenness of the hill and the size and speed of the cheese itself, several people have suffered severe injuries throughout the years. As a result, the cheese spectacle lost its "official" management and organizers in 2010. However, because the locals are so proud of their longstanding tradition, the ritual still goes ahead each year, though spontaneously and without any supervision.
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90points
#2 Kukeri Festival – Bulgaria
Although having the appearance of an adult Halloween parade, it's a festivity that aims to drive away evil spirits rather than summon them. People dress up in animal skins and furs, wear frightful masks, and jump while wearing enormous bells fastened around their waists. The Kukeri creatures are said to be so repulsive that any actual monster would flee shrieking! The Surva Festival, the largest Kukeri celebration of the year, is held in Pernik, 30 miles from Sofia. Thousands of people travel there from every region of Bulgaria to attend the three-day festival, which takes place annually at either the end of January or the beginning of February.
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84points
#3 Golden Retriever Festival – Scotland
Usually held in July, the spectacular Guisachan Gathering, or Golden Retriever Festival, celebrates, you guessed it, golden retrievers. The well-attended event occurs in Guisachan, the Scottish Highlands manor where the original golden retrievers were bred. A picnic with authentic Scottish fare, group training sessions, and, of course, a dog show are just a few of the events and activities that make up the Guisachan Gathering. Yet, the festival's primary attraction is the Championship Show, where hundreds of canines compete for awards. Honestly, it's not even that weird!
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79points
#4 International Hair Freezing Contest — Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
The International Hair Freezing Contest is a fun winter event that takes place every February in the Takhini Hot Pools in Canada's arctic Yukon region. Contestants submerge their heads in the pools' hot water, then shape their hair while it freezes in the cold air above to create frosty hairdos. During the competition, local temperatures may drop as low as -30° Celsius or -22° Fahrenheit. Brrr!
73points
#5 Wife Carrying World Championship — Sonkajärvi, Finland
And although the exact origins of this tradition are rather murky, each tale has some connection to stealing. And we kid you not; since 1992, this contest is still going strong today! Participants can carry their (or their neighbors') wives in either piggyback, fireman's carry, or Estonian style. And the prize? The wife's weight in beer. The lady is happy, and you get the beer — it doesn't get better than this.
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71points
#6 Night Of The Radishes – Oaxaca, Mexico
Carving giant radishes into scenes that compete for awards is the focus of the annual Night of the Radishes festivity in Oaxaca, Mexico, which takes place on December 23. This event has produced exceptional radish carvings, from nativity scenes to perfect reproductions of famous paintings. If you want to witness it, as well as see the parades and street dances, stay in Mexico through Christmas. It's odd, but it's also funny and super delightful.
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63points
#7 Up-Helly Aa – Shetland, Scotland, UK
Every year between January and March, Scotland hosts the Up-Helly Aa fire festival to commemorate the conclusion of the Christmas season. There is a galley, a replica of a Viking longship, and a very long torch procession of torchbearer squads dressed in themed costumes known as guizers, headed by the main guizer or Jarl. Each squad picks a theme and dresses appropriately. There are many different subjects, some of which are satirical, others of which are historical. The festival began in 1880 and has been drawing tens of thousands of residents and visitors to the Shetlands to honor their rich heritage.
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63points
#8 World Bog Snorkeling Championships — Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, UK
The annual Bog Snorkeling Championship has been held in the smallest town in Wales ever since 1985. Armed only with snorkels and flippers, participants must swim two consecutive lengths relying only on their flippers to propel them through a 60-yard water trench dug through a peat bog. Even if you don't feel like taking the plunge, it's a fun day out since there are food and drink vendors, crafts, a bouncy castle, live music, and a real ale and cider bar on the site.
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61points
#9 Air Guitar World Championship — Oulu, Finland
Since 1996, Oulu, Finland, has hosted the Air Guitar World Championship as a part of the Oulu Music Video Festival. What was once intended as a joke gained tremendous appeal. Contestants must perform two rounds of air guitar on stage, each lasting at least one minute. They must play just air guitar—no drums, piano, or other instruments are allowed. The idea behind the competition is that if everyone in the world played the Air Guitar, wars, climate change, and all other negative things would stop occurring. To put it simply, the purpose of this extravaganza is to promote world peace.
61points
#10 Water Gun Festival – Seoul, South Korea
In addition to the Mud Festival, South Korea also hosts a Water Gun Festival. One of the most popular summertime events there, the Water Gun Festival, offers each participant a unique experience. To both escape and relish the summer heat, visitors may engage in water battles, musical performances, street dancing, and other fun activities that showcase original artworks and regional attractions.
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#11 The International Highline Meeting Festival, Monte Piana – Italy
18 lines, some 300 feet (!) long, competitions, movies, and workshops in acro yoga are all part of the annual International Highline Meeting Festival, which is definitely not for the faint-hearted! Aside from the fact that the mountaineering enthusiasts spend a significant portion of their days (and nights) in hammocks suspended hundreds of feet above the Italian dolomite Alps, the gathering has all the props of a typical festival, including a kitchen, a bar, and musical jam sessions. Hundreds of daring individuals who enjoy mountains and the adrenaline rush of being extremely high up come to this festival from all over the world. Would you? Guess it's weird for those who like to play it safe!
53points
#12 Monkey Buffet Festival — Lopburi, Thailand
This is a buffet FOR monkeys, so immediately quit wondering what a monkey would taste like! Around 2,000–3,000 monkeys in the Lopburi Province, located north of Bangkok, are given a feast of 4,000 kg of fruits, vegetables, cakes, and candies every November. Then, after the monkeys have been given their treats, youths dressed as monkeys perform dances. The festival started in 1989, organized by a local businessman who devised this idea to boost Lopburi tourism. Lucky for him and especially the monkeys, the plan worked out.
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50points
#13 La Tomatina — Buñol, Valencia, Spain
It is a mess, but it's a delightful one! On the last Wednesday in August each year, for just one hour, between 10 and 11 am, participants of this festival throw tomatoes at one another. During this period, around 150,000 tomatoes are used. Over the years, the festival has grown to be a top tourist destination in Europe.
45points
#14 Busó Festival – Mohács, Hungary
Since the 18th century, Hungarians have celebrated the Busó Festival with local men wearing scary-looking masks to ward off winter. Can they spook off winter with their costumes, though? Locals believed they did. And considering that so many cultures have similar traditions to scare winter away, so will we. The event features Busós (the costumed men) and involves dancing, folk music, parades, and dressing up. Six days long, Busójárás (“Busó-walking”) typically occurs in February. Also, a fun fact, the Busójárás of Mohács is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List!
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44points
#15 Beer Floating Kaljakellunta - Finland
In Finland, the Uusimaa province hosts the yearly outdoor festivity called Kaljakellunta, or "Beer Floating." Thousands of people participate in the Kaljakellunta festival, which involves floating down the Kerava/Vantaa river while drinking beer in various types of inflatable dinghies and self-built rafts. Its name also comes from this; in Finnish, "Kalja" means beer, and "Kellunta" means floating. Because there is no official organizer, there is also no official date or floating route for Kaljakellunta. However, the annual event has traditionally been held on the final weekend in July or the first weekend in August.
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43points
#16 Pot Throwing Ceremony - Corfu, Greece
Large clay jugs filled with water are flung from the balconies of residences in the heart of town and smash into pieces while thousands of spectators watch. The sound of the pots falling is truly tremendous. This bizarre ancient tradition, known as the "botides," is observed by Corfiots on Holy Saturday and draws spectators from all across the country and overseas. Daring spectators may stand relatively near the crash sites, getting hit by the spray of water and shards of clay. Local organizers said that no one has ever been badly hurt during the rite. According to islanders, the custom is believed to help fend off evil spirits, and witnesses may bring bits of the shattered pots home for good luck.
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42points
#17 The Baby Jumping Festival — Castrillo De Murcia, Spain
At a baptismal ceremony known as the Baby Jumping Festival, infants born during the previous year are "cleansed of their sins." In this religious custom, first practiced in the early 1600s, men in traditional "devilish" costumes jump over the infants carefully laid out on the street to drive away evil. According to the locals, the only injuries reported in the festival's history were Colachos ("devils" or the men jumping) pulling hamstrings.
40points
#18 Las Fallas Festival Sculpture Burning – Spain
Las Fallas, one of the most well-known Spanish events, is a 5-day street fiesta with impressive fireworks and light shows that concludes with practically everything being set on fire. Thousands of guests watch hundreds of giant sculptures constructed of wood, cardboard, plaster, and paper mache set ablaze and burn brightly. The festival's beginnings may be traced back to the Middle Ages when carpenters would burn pieces of wood used to prop up their lights over the winter as a way of welcoming spring. Due to the addition of rags and old clothing, the bonfires eventually took on the appearance of puppets (ninots). A falla is then made up of ninots that have been arranged to create a scene. These scenes are often satirical and political, frequently featuring current figures like politicians and celebrities.
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40points
#19 World Toe Wrestling Championships — England, UK
Although the World Toe Wrestling Championships are held in different locations, the contest originated in the Staffordshire village of Wetton in the 1970s. It stemmed from the desire for the UK to host a national championship in some type of sport. Guess toe wrestling was a viable option! Similar to arm wrestling, each match sets two opponents against one other. Also, before the match, participants must undergo a thorough toe checkup by a licensed nurse. No toe-ing around here!
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38points
#20 Boryeong Mud Festival — Boryeong, South Korea
Located 200 kilometers south of Seoul, this fun celebration, which first occurred in 1998, now takes place every July. The festival was first conceived as a marketing event for Boryeong Mud Cosmetics, as the mud from the Boryeong mud flats is claimed to be rich in natural minerals. However, the two-week promotional event was highly liked by locals and tourists; hence, the festivity was there to stay. A mud pool, mud slides, a mud prison, and mud skiing are some unique activities that can be done at the mud festival.
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35points