We are pretty fun, humans that is. And weird. Let’s explore The World’s Weirdest Festivals:
January – Europe’s Largest Fire Festival
Up Helly Aa, St Ninian’s Isle, Scotland: On the last Tuesday of January, St Ninian’s Isle is host to Europe’s largest fire festival. Wearing full Viking regalia, men will light torches and march through the towns because Winter is bleak and there just isn’t enough rampaging these days.
February – Nudists and Oranges
Battle Of Oranges, Ivrea, Italy: If you’re interested in participating in a massive fruit-based food fight then the Battle Of Oranges is the festival for you. Hadaka Matsuri, Okayama, Japan: Fancy joining 9,000 naked blokes and being purified in temple waters for luck? Why not.
March – Sheep Shearing
Golden Shears, Masterton, New Zealand: Wool is a huge part of New Zealand’s pride, and so they have divided a competition out of sheep shearing. It’s a shear-abration.
April – Water Guns and Baby Tears
Songkran Festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand: Between the 13th and 15th of April, Thais wander the streets spraying each other with water. Naki Sumo, Tokyo, Japan: In this competition, two sumo wrestlers stand dancing each other holding new born children. The goal is to make your competitor’s child cry.
May – Skulls and Cheese
Day Of Skulls, La Paz, Bolivia: In Bolivia, May 5th is the official day for clearing out all of your deceased relatives’ skulls because let’s face it they bring a bit of a weird ambience to the home that no amount of throw pillows can disguise. Cheese Rolling, Cooper’s Hill, England: Nothing like a nice summer day rolling cheese down a hill, amirite?
June – Jumping Over Babies As The Devil
El Colacho, Castrillo De Murcia, Spain: Since the 15th Century, a man has dressed up as the devil at some point during June and has then jumped over babies to cleanse them of evil spirits. Yup.
July – Mud and Wife-Carrying.
Boryeong Mud Festival, Boryeong, South Korea: Bathing in mud. That is all. Wife-Carrying Championship, Sonkajarvi, Finland: Participants must carry a wife (not even necessarily their own) around an obstacle course in the fastest possible time. Romantic.
August – Tomato Fight!
La Tomitina, Bunol, Spain: Us humans sure do like our food fights. In this annual festival, an estimated 40 metric tons of tomatoes are squashed and then thrown about in Bunol, Spain.
September – Frogs
Rayne Frog Festival, Louisiana, USA: A frog-based festival held on Labour Day in Louisiana.
November – Monkey Buffet
Monkey Buffet Festival, Lopburi, Thailand: Thankfully, the monkeys aren’t actually part of the buffet, just in case you had any throw backs to Indiana Jones there.
December – Night Of The Radishes
Noche De Rabanos, Oaxaco, Mexico: Carving radishes is the aim of the game in this festival, the prize is a picture in the paper. And life long radish recognition. A Guide To The World’s Weirdest Festivals | Book FHR
