They say that for everyone in our world there is something of their own. And, frankly, the same can be said about festivals held all over the world - regardless of personal preference, there is one for everyone. If you want to get the most out of life and visit the weirdest and craziest festivals is on your plan, then here is a list of the 10 most unusual festivals from around the planet.
10. Burning Man Festival - USA
The Burning Man is an annual meeting held at Black Rock City, Nevada, USA. It was opened on June 21, 1986. The Black Rock City Playground is a temporary city that is built every year in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. What makes this festival so special? The weeklong festival is mainly aimed at helping adults express themselves without regard to social norms and restrictions.
During the festival, a group of people come together to explore their own artistic talents, while delighting everyone involved in the festival. The most unusual part is the end of the festival, when the "Man" himself is burned - a huge statue that has different shapes every year, a memorable ending.
9. Battle of the oranges - Italy
The Battle of the Oranges is held in the city of Ivrea, Italy, every year. Organized groups of people throwing oranges at each other make it unusual. This festival is called the largest food battle in Italy. Thousands of people are divided into nine combat teams. Teams throw oranges at each other in memory of the civil war that erupted between Napoleon's Royal Forces and the inhabitants of Ivrea after the assassination of the tyrant Rener di Bianderate. The three-day festival takes place in February and ends with a solemn funeral on the night of the Maslenitsa.
8. Air guitar competition - Finland
The air guitar competition has been part of the Oul Music and Video Festival in Oulu, Finland since 1996. The four-day competition promotes world peace. The competition originally appeared as a joke, and was a kind of attraction at the Music and Video Festival.
However, it received tremendous support and praise and eventually grew into a competition that is attracting attention around the world. Who wants to take part in a four-day air guitar competition? Obviously thousands of people from all over the world!
7. Coopershield Cheese Race - UK
The annual event is held at Cooper's Hill near Gloucester in the Cotswolds, England, on the Spring Festival. Previously, only the locals of Brockworth Village took part in the competition, but now thousands of people from all parts of the world. The race begins when a 4-kilogram head of Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down the hill and the competitors chase after it. The first person to reach the bottom of the hill is rewarded with cheese.
6. Boryeong Mud Festival - South Korea
The annual Boryeong Mud Festival is held in Boryeong, South Korea during the summer and attracts up to 2 million tourists each year. First held in 1998, it allows people to have fun in mud slides, mud pools and mud prisons, and even includes mud skiing competitions - all so that people can improve their skin, thanks to the minerals in the mud.
5. Jumping over children - Spain
The festival is held in Spain and dates back to 1620. The act, also known as "El Salto del Colacho" (Devil's Leap), involves a man jumping over children who have been born within the past year. The man is dressed in the Devil's costume, and the children are laid on a mattress right in the middle of the street. It is considered the most dangerous festival in the world, and at the same time, the circumstances of its occurrence remain unknown. However, the festival aims to cleanse children from sins and protect them from evil spirits and diseases throughout their lives.
4. Tomatina - Spain
Held in the city of Buñol, Spain on the last Wednesday of August every year, this festival is the biggest food battle in the world. The festival hosts several events including parades, culinary competitions and more. The culmination of the festival is the tomato battle, which lasts an hour between twenty thousand people.
3. Bun Festival - Hong Kong
This traditional Chinese festival is held in April / May and features people running up a tower made of edible buns and bamboo. The goal is to grab the topmost bun. The higher the bun is, the more luck it will bring the participant and his family. At first, only local people took part in the bun race, but now the festival attracts more than 70 thousand participants.
2. Festival "Monkey Banquet" - Thailand
Despite the name, this festival does not include buffet-style monkeys. In fact, quite the opposite, the five-star buffet is served to local monkeys in Lomburi, Thailand. The festival takes place in November and features approximately 4,000 kilograms of candy, bananas, cakes and apples, laid out for the monkeys.
1. Night of Radishes - Mexico
Not everyone loves radish, but in Oaxaca, Mesquica, it seems to be the main vegetable. The residents of this Mexican city hold the festival on December 23rd. During the festival, various sculptures are created from vegetables. The festival was established in 1987. The creators of the best radish sculptures receive prizes.
Another version of the ranking of the most curious festivals in the world:
