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Bored of mundane reads? Here is some unique, unheard and crazy stuff that will definitely keep you hooked. Get an insight of intriguing traditions, customs and rituals practiced around the globe as we bring to you an extraordinary list that put together the rarest of rare festivals in the world. Some of these festivals mentioned below will leave you overwhelmed while others will make you wonder about bizarre traditions and vibrant culture. And who knows, you might put them on your wish list as well. So if it’s getting hard for you to hold on to the horses, simply scroll down to the info!
List Of 10 Unusual Festivals in the World
1. Boryeong Mud Festival | South Korea
The Boryeong Mud Festival celebrated in South Korea is proof that mudslinging is not always damaging. This fun festival is all about getting down in mud and reliving childhood memories and is also known as Muddy Mess. It is an annual celebration that attracts millions of visitors from different countries. The unique festival originated in the late 90s with an idea to promote the famous mud products of the region. Top attractions of Boryeong Mud Festival are super fun mud fights, shopping mud-based products, taking part in games, enjoying local delicacies and whatnot.
Location of Boryeong Mud Festival: Daecheon Beach, 200 km south of Seoul
Date of Boryeong Mud Festival: Two weeks in July
2. Kanamara Matsuri Festival | Japan
One of the grand festivals of Japan, Kanamara Matsuri is unique in its own way as it is an iron penis festival that is dedicated to phallic worship. This is a religious ceremony in Japan where the god Kanayama-hiko and the goddess Kanayama-hime are venerated. Couples and sex workers pay a visit to the famous Kanayama Shrine in order to pray for fertility, good fortune in their marriage and protection from sexually transmitted infections.
Location of Kanamara Matsuri Festival: Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki
Date of Kanamara Matsuri Festival: First Sunday of April
Read More : Everything About Cherry Blossom Festival In Japan
3. Kukur Tihar | Nepal
One of the unusual festivals in the world, Kukur Tihar is celebrated with great fervour in Nepal. It is basically a Hindu festival that falls on the second day of the festival of Tihar. On this special day, people offer prayers to Yama - the god of death and worship dogs as they are considered to be his messengers. The dogs including strays are bathed and adorned with tikkas and garlands. They are also offered milk and meat on this day to appease Lord Yama.
Location of Kukur Tihar: Nepal
Date of Kukur Tihar: 2nd day of Tihar Festival that falls in October or November
Read More : Top 10 Things To Do In Nepal
4. Underwater Music Festival | Florida, USA
Also known as Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival, this unusual and strange underwater festival is a way to promote reef preservation. Every year in the month of July, musicians, divers and snorkelers gather in Florida to celebrate the exotic coral reef. It is one of the rare festivals in the world that encourages preservation of the rich coral reef ecosystem in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and emphasises on minimising environmental impacts whilst enjoying the reef.
Location of Underwater Music Festival: Looe Key Reef, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Date of Underwater Music Festival: Every year in July
Read More - Best Music Festivals In India
5. International Hair Freezing Contest | Yukon, Canada
Hair freezing is certainly strange and bizarre but not in Canada as it hosts one of the most unique events around the world known as the International Hair Freezing Contest, courtesy, the frigid Canadian air. This extraordinary event attracts thousands of locals and tourists alike as it is the time of the year when people get to witness the world's only frozen-hairdo competition.
Location of International Hair Freezing Contest: Takhini Hot Springs, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Date of International Hair Freezing Contest: Every year in the month of March
6. Thaipusam | Tamil Nadu, India
Another intriguing festival around the world that can captivate you is Thaipusam. This is one of the unusual festivals in India that is widely celebrated by the devotees of Lord Muruga in Tamil Nadu. The annual festival of Thaipusam is observed as a day of prayers and penance and is anchored by a massive procession of devotees in which they hook chains to their skin to pull the chariots. The devotees also pierce their lips and mouths with sharp metal objects to honor Lord Subramaniam who is believed to be the destroyer of evil.
Location of Thaipusam: Tamil Nadu, Singapore, Malaysia, Srilanka
Date of Thaipusam: The festival is celebrated on a full moon day in the month of February.
7. The Night of Radishes | Mexico
A prominent holiday tradition in Oaxaca city of Mexico, The Night of the Radishes is indeed one of the rare festivals in the world that symbolizes the radish-carving tradition in the country. The festival became an official celebration in 1897 when the merchants used to sell carved festive radishes in Town square during the Christmas season. Today, it has become a famous contest in which people present exquisitely carved radishes which are a visual treat. In Mexico, this festival is known as Noche de los Rábanos.
Location of Night of Radishes: Oaxaca City, Mexico
Date of Night of Radishes: Every year on December 23
8. La Rioja - The Battle of the Wine | Haro, Spain
Spain is known for the famous food festivals including La Tomatina - the Tomato Fight festival, La Merengada - the Candy Fight festival etc., however, the most unique out of all is La Rioja - the vibrant Battle of Wine festival which simply sounds fun for wine lovers. Participants dress up in white attires and tie a red handkerchief around their neck`so that people know you are ready to soak yourself in wine. The massive procession is carried out from the hills to the main square of Haro where everyone seems to be drenched in the purple color of wine.
Location of La Rioja: Main Square of Haro
Date of La Rioja: Every year from 27th to 30th June
9. World Toe Wrestling Championship | Ashbourne, United Kingdom
You must have heard about arm wrestling but Ashbourne is where the phenomenal toe wrestling championship is held every year in the month of August. People from around the world gather in Ashbourne Heights to watch one-on-one toe battles in which the toes of opponents are locked and they try to pin each other down in order to win. It is definitely one of the unusual festivals in the world that is quirky enough to catch your fancy.
Location of World Toe Wrestling Championship: Ashbourne Heights in Fenny Bentley
Date of World Toe Wrestling Championship: Every year in the month of August
10. The World Bodypainting Festival | Austria
Some festivals around the world are totally inspiring and the World Bodypainting Festival exemplifies this statement. It is the cultural festival of Austria that began in 1998 with an idea to create a platform for body painters across the world. Every year, artists from different countries travel to Klagenfurt in Austria to take part in this grand body painting event where human bodies are treated as the canvas to display their creative prowess.
Location of the World Bodypainting Festival: Klagenfurt, Austria
Date of the World Bodypainting Festival: Every year in the month of July
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