There is a world out there, that you should know – is not the most subtle when it comes to expressing it’s love and regard for all things ‘interesting’. This love, is something that manifests all across the world in various forms, and after looking at the Japanese methods, it’s only fair that we show you the way they do it all the way in the United States of America!
Here’s our list of the 5 whackiest festivals across the USA, and some, have even been certified so.
1. The Montana Testicle Festival
When: July 29 – August 2
Where: Clinton, Montana
Yes, we’re not lying. Every year, around 10,000 people get together in Montana, to celebrate, testicles – in their “testy-festy” moods, with a wide range of competitions, events, and things like the ‘ball eating contest’, and the ‘hairy chest contest’, all attendees are sure to be entertained throughout. While balls are the main focus of the festival, it also boasts of a wet t-shirt competition, live music, and many many people interested in a testicular experience. Oh, one thing though – this festival actually revolves around human testicles, and the food served – is mostly based on their ‘waste not, want not’ policy, which allows for all sorts of other animal testicles to feature in their menu during the five-day extravaganza!
(Images Courtesy: The Montana Testicle Festival Web Page)
2. The Great Texas Mosquito Festival
When: July 23 – July 25
Where: Clute, Texas
There’s millions of these pesky creatures around the world, but all the way in Texas, each year – people gather to celebrate the abundance of healthy mosquitoes in their area, by revelling in dance, live music, and a lot of other miscellaneous activity like going to the petting zoo. One of the most interesting bits however, are the whacky events they have lined up for both kids, and adults – including the mosquito calling contest, the mosquito leg contest, and a whole lot more. This festival might just bite you the right way.
(Images Courtesy: The Great Texas Mosquito Festival Web Page)
3. Frozen Dead Guy Days
When: March 11 – March 13
Where: Nederland, Colorado
A festival that has been dubbed as the quirkiest festival in the country, the Frozen Dead Guy Days is one that honours a man named Bredo Morstol, who is frozen, and left in “suspended animation”, in a tuff shed on dry ice, high above Nederland. The festival has many events, ranging from ice turkey bowling, to coffin races, and other things like a frozen salmon toss (that’s not even the weirdest bit). While live music and bands play at the festival, some of the other things that go on, are the ‘frozen t-shirt contest’, and a parade of hearses among other things! This is practically the weirdest winter wonderland that could manifest in the form of a festival, ever – and it has won awards.
4. The Hairy Chest, Legs, & Beard Contest – Fairbanks Golden Days
When: End of July
Where: Fairbanks, Alaska
Now, that name caught your attention, didn’t it? Though this contest is not an exclusive festival (like some of you wish), but it is part of a festival known as Fairbanks’ Golden Days. Golden Days is a festival that celebrates the rich gold-mining history of Fairbanks, AK – and has a wide array of activities, events, music concerts, live band performances, rubber-duckie races as well as, the Hairy Chest, Legs & Beard Contest. Burly Burlesque is what we’re calling it, but it interestingly started off because most of the miners were unkempt, and had a rather scraggy demeanour to them – and now has turned into a spectacle showcasing the new trends of lumberjack and hairy, bearded, hunky-bear-like peeps! There’s also the parade, and like we said, a colourful – rubber duck race!
5. The BugFest
When: September 19
Where: Raleigh, North Carolina
The creepy crawlies are hated by most, but a large crowd of almost 35,000 people gather every year at the BugFest, to well, celebrate bugs. Themed in a different exotic bug every year, the festival comes with a wide range of exhibits that showcase the creepers, a menu that lacks any sort of semblance to the normal – Café Insecta, and activities at the Evening “Insectival”, each day. The insectival, is where street carnivals, music shows, and bug exhibitions converge to hopefully make the BugFest, a fun, ‘delectable’, and bug-tastic affair!
(Images Courtesy: BugFest Web Page + Flickr)