Food fight, coffins or giant penises– if you’re looking for a bizarre way to have fun, you are definitely not the only one! Weird traditions and unusual festivals are one of the most popular tourist attractions and if you think these festivals are rare and uncommon in today’s society, you’re in for a big surprise. Some of these have a deeper symbolic, religious and historic meaning while some are nothing more but a meaningless, all inclusive fun. So here they are – 8 world’s most unusual festivals listed and described.
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1. Hadaka Matsuri
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Photo Credit: filmmaker in japan
Being dressed in nothing but a loincloth in January? No thanks! But I would really like to visit this Japanese festival and witness thousands of men doing so! This ritual is taking place all over Japan and is supposed to bring a sort of a purification or soul-cleansing to its participants.
You know, festivals are just a celebration of life, right? Different cultures have different ways to celebrate, and some of them are quite quirky. It's all about tradition, having fun, and sometimes, just letting loose and being silly!
Oh, if you're up for something wild, you might want to check out the La Tomatina in Spain. It's a giant, messy tomato fight! But don't forget to bring a change of clothes.
It depends! Some festivals are great for families, with lots of fun and harmless activities, like the Baby Jumping Festival in Spain. Sounds bizarre, but it's actually a traditional event. Others might be more adult-oriented, so it's best to do a little research first.
Honestly, the internet is your best friend here. There are tons of travel blogs, YouTube videos, and even documentaries on some of these festivals. Dive into the rabbit hole and see what catches your fancy!
Absolutely! Some people are festival junkies and love the atmosphere, culture, and sheer uniqueness of these events. It’s a great way to experience different parts of the world and meet some interesting people along the way!
2. Corpus Christi
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Photo Credit: Francisco Javier Martín
Would you let a person dressed in a devil costume try to jump over your baby? Probably not, right? Well, a lot of people certainly don’t share your fears because this baby-jumping festival has been taking place since 1620! Placing babies on a mattress and having people dressed like the devil jump over them is believed to cleanse babies from sins and is supposed to bring them good health and luck. Although this does sound interesting, I wouldn’t dare watch it.
You know, festivals are just a celebration of life, right? Different cultures have different ways to celebrate, and some of them are quite quirky. It's all about tradition, having fun, and sometimes, just letting loose and being silly!
Oh, if you're up for something wild, you might want to check out the La Tomatina in Spain. It's a giant, messy tomato fight! But don't forget to bring a change of clothes.
It depends! Some festivals are great for families, with lots of fun and harmless activities, like the Baby Jumping Festival in Spain. Sounds bizarre, but it's actually a traditional event. Others might be more adult-oriented, so it's best to do a little research first.
Honestly, the internet is your best friend here. There are tons of travel blogs, YouTube videos, and even documentaries on some of these festivals. Dive into the rabbit hole and see what catches your fancy!
Absolutely! Some people are festival junkies and love the atmosphere, culture, and sheer uniqueness of these events. It’s a great way to experience different parts of the world and meet some interesting people along the way!
3. Fertility Festivals
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Photo Credit: EYLC
Very popular in Greece and Japan, fertility festivals often involve parading a giant penis around so think well before you show the holiday pictures to your elderly family members. Celebrating fertility and good harvest, these festivals are definitely a fun thing to go check out with your girl friends. So get your camera ready and be prepared to touch or even kiss the giant male genitals replica, eat a lot of phallus shaped candies or sit on the phallus shaped throne!
You know, festivals are just a celebration of life, right? Different cultures have different ways to celebrate, and some of them are quite quirky. It's all about tradition, having fun, and sometimes, just letting loose and being silly!
Oh, if you're up for something wild, you might want to check out the La Tomatina in Spain. It's a giant, messy tomato fight! But don't forget to bring a change of clothes.
It depends! Some festivals are great for families, with lots of fun and harmless activities, like the Baby Jumping Festival in Spain. Sounds bizarre, but it's actually a traditional event. Others might be more adult-oriented, so it's best to do a little research first.
Honestly, the internet is your best friend here. There are tons of travel blogs, YouTube videos, and even documentaries on some of these festivals. Dive into the rabbit hole and see what catches your fancy!
Absolutely! Some people are festival junkies and love the atmosphere, culture, and sheer uniqueness of these events. It’s a great way to experience different parts of the world and meet some interesting people along the way!
4. Hindu Holi Festival
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Photo Credit: On The Go Tours
If your life is lacking color you should definitely pack some old clothes and visit this one! Holi festivals takes place in the beginning of spring and, since it involves playing with both wet colors and colorful dust called gulal, I can freely say it gives the phrase “splash of colors” a very literal meaning. Be careful of what you eat and drink during the festival because it traditionally involves a feast where all the food and drinks served contain a local cannabis-like herb.
You know, festivals are just a celebration of life, right? Different cultures have different ways to celebrate, and some of them are quite quirky. It's all about tradition, having fun, and sometimes, just letting loose and being silly!
Oh, if you're up for something wild, you might want to check out the La Tomatina in Spain. It's a giant, messy tomato fight! But don't forget to bring a change of clothes.
It depends! Some festivals are great for families, with lots of fun and harmless activities, like the Baby Jumping Festival in Spain. Sounds bizarre, but it's actually a traditional event. Others might be more adult-oriented, so it's best to do a little research first.
Honestly, the internet is your best friend here. There are tons of travel blogs, YouTube videos, and even documentaries on some of these festivals. Dive into the rabbit hole and see what catches your fancy!
Absolutely! Some people are festival junkies and love the atmosphere, culture, and sheer uniqueness of these events. It’s a great way to experience different parts of the world and meet some interesting people along the way!
Sunshine and blue skies bring positivity and joy and it's important for every woman to take full advantage of it. Even when stuck indoors, it's still possible to enjoy some good vibes. Check out these unique tips on how to make the most of the weather right at your home. Let's celebrate every beautiful day, no matter where we are.
5. Ivrea Festival
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Photo Credit: -LucaM- Photography
With an orange-throwing festival happening once a year, people from Ivrea, Italy, certainly don’t need any anger management therapy. Throwing soft, ripe oranges represents the 1194 battle with Frederic Barbarossa a local historic event worth celebrating. You’ll get to practice your swing by entering the battle zone, see warriors in their traditional battle armors and experience a one of a kind medieval-style fun!
You know, festivals are just a celebration of life, right? Different cultures have different ways to celebrate, and some of them are quite quirky. It's all about tradition, having fun, and sometimes, just letting loose and being silly!
Oh, if you're up for something wild, you might want to check out the La Tomatina in Spain. It's a giant, messy tomato fight! But don't forget to bring a change of clothes.
It depends! Some festivals are great for families, with lots of fun and harmless activities, like the Baby Jumping Festival in Spain. Sounds bizarre, but it's actually a traditional event. Others might be more adult-oriented, so it's best to do a little research first.
Honestly, the internet is your best friend here. There are tons of travel blogs, YouTube videos, and even documentaries on some of these festivals. Dive into the rabbit hole and see what catches your fancy!
Absolutely! Some people are festival junkies and love the atmosphere, culture, and sheer uniqueness of these events. It’s a great way to experience different parts of the world and meet some interesting people along the way!
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6. Coffin Fiesta
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Photo Credit: only alice
Spanish festival called Fiesta de Santa Marta Ribarteme celebrates the ones who have managed to escape the Grim Reaper’s deadly grip. People who had a near-death experience are laid in coffins, carried around the church and in the cemetery where offers are made for Santa Marta, the patron of resurrection.
You know, festivals are just a celebration of life, right? Different cultures have different ways to celebrate, and some of them are quite quirky. It's all about tradition, having fun, and sometimes, just letting loose and being silly!
Oh, if you're up for something wild, you might want to check out the La Tomatina in Spain. It's a giant, messy tomato fight! But don't forget to bring a change of clothes.
It depends! Some festivals are great for families, with lots of fun and harmless activities, like the Baby Jumping Festival in Spain. Sounds bizarre, but it's actually a traditional event. Others might be more adult-oriented, so it's best to do a little research first.
Honestly, the internet is your best friend here. There are tons of travel blogs, YouTube videos, and even documentaries on some of these festivals. Dive into the rabbit hole and see what catches your fancy!
Absolutely! Some people are festival junkies and love the atmosphere, culture, and sheer uniqueness of these events. It’s a great way to experience different parts of the world and meet some interesting people along the way!
7. Sitting on an Ant-nest
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Photo Credit: nicholaslaughlin
From swapping wives to swimming in icy-cold water, Finland is definitely world’s number one country for the number of weird competitions and festivities! Want to see how tough you are? Then join their ant-nest sitting competition! This festivity involves placing your bare “rear end” on the ant nest and trying keep it there for as long as possible while the whole colony of ants takes turns in expressing their displease for ruining their home and blocking their only exit. Uhm… well… you certainly won’t see me competing!
You know, festivals are just a celebration of life, right? Different cultures have different ways to celebrate, and some of them are quite quirky. It's all about tradition, having fun, and sometimes, just letting loose and being silly!
Oh, if you're up for something wild, you might want to check out the La Tomatina in Spain. It's a giant, messy tomato fight! But don't forget to bring a change of clothes.
It depends! Some festivals are great for families, with lots of fun and harmless activities, like the Baby Jumping Festival in Spain. Sounds bizarre, but it's actually a traditional event. Others might be more adult-oriented, so it's best to do a little research first.
Honestly, the internet is your best friend here. There are tons of travel blogs, YouTube videos, and even documentaries on some of these festivals. Dive into the rabbit hole and see what catches your fancy!
Absolutely! Some people are festival junkies and love the atmosphere, culture, and sheer uniqueness of these events. It’s a great way to experience different parts of the world and meet some interesting people along the way!
8. La Tomatina
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Photo Credit: flydime
If you find yourself in the Spanish city Buñol in the last Wednesday of August, definitely remember not to wear your good clothes and be prepared to experience the biggest food-fight in your life! So, if Italian tradition of throwing ripe oranges isn’t exactly your idea of a good time, you still might want to consider a good ol’ fashion Spanish tomato fight.
Weird or interesting? What do you think about these unusual festivities? Would you like to visit some of these festivals and which one would that be? I know I would! But I’m not sure if I’d be prepared to participate in some of them… Would you be prepared to sit on an ant nest, touch a giant phallus or have your baby jumped over by a guy dressed like the devil?
Top Photo Credit: Montanaro Maurizio™
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Comments
Lyndi: Women dress in Kimono's. This festival is for the God's, for one day the God will go into a small house, and the strongest men in the neighborhood will walk about with this small gold house so the rest of the people can come and prey for the next year, and purify their house and family. Its a fun festival with delicious food, and dancing. I lived in Japan for 3 years, and am married to a Japanese man, thats how I know :D Oh and the men dress like that because the house is HEAVY!! Its pure gold, so they get sweaty, many times the men will have deep bruising on there shoulders from the weight.
Shakti: WOW.......interesting. We enjoy Holi in India every year. But these are also quite intereting.though Sitting on ant-nest...........terrible.
Carolina: about number 1, how do women dress up? are they just going to let our boobs hang around???! cause that would be sort of weird to have men and women walking around semi-naked...
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