15 Incredible World Events That Are So Unique, They Sound Made Up

Face slapping championships and a weekend dedicated to a frozen dead guy? Believe it.

The coronavirus pandemic is still impacting travel, and destinations around the world have different COVID-19 restrictions in place. Always check and adhere to local government policies, and use our content to dream about a future trip.

Note: While some of these events may be canceled or put on hold this year — ahem, COVID-19 — they exist and are well-deserving of a slot on your future trip list.

1. European Sauna Marathon — Estonia

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Each year in Otepää — aka the “winter capital” of Estonia — people from around the world gather for a sauna marathon during the middle of winter. Participants are given a race map with a select list of saunas to visit and must spend at least three minutes in every sauna. The winner is the team that goes to all the saunas in the shortest time (with bonus points going to those who brave the course's ice holes and plunge pools).

2. Frozen Dead Guy Days — United States

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In the hills above Nederland, Colorado, (30 minutes west of Boulder) rests the frozen body of Grandpa Bredo. While he died in 1989, his body has remained frozen in time thanks to nearly four years spent in liquid nitrogen at a California cryonics facility and decades in a dry ice–laden shed in this small Colorado town. Each year — in the dead of winter, of course — people gather for a festival celebrating the town’s resident “dead guy.” There’s coffin racing, polar ice plunges, frozen salmon tossing, and plenty of costumes, because why not?

3. Boryeong Mud Festival — South Korea

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Since 1998, people have been traveling to Boryeong for one simple reason: to get muddy. At this summer festival, you can take a mud bath, enjoy a mud-powder massage, compete in an ultra-muddy obstacle course, or simply let it all go and just roll around in the stuff. When you’ve gotten your fix, head to the town’s beach and hop in the ocean, before you head back for more.

4. Woolly Worm Festival — United States

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When fall comes to the tiny town of Banner Elk, North Carolina, woolly worms (Isabella tiger moth larvae) take to the streets. And during their high season — when the festival website says you might see “dozens or even hundreds in one day” — everyone gathers to celebrate the fuzzy little guys...and to watch them race. Yes, you read that right, in 2019 over 20,000 people descended on Banner Elk to watch worms race up a 3-foot-long piece of string. The winning worm gets all the glory, while their “owner” walks home with $1,000.

5. Air Guitar World Championship — Finland

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Can’t play an instrument? Have zero musical talent? It’s all good in Oulu, the home of Finland’s air guitar championship that's been running since 1996. Here, it’s all about style and making people smile. In fact, the mission behind the entire event is to promote world peace, with the idea that when everyone picks up the air guitar and jams out, “wars will end, climate change will stop, and all bad things will vanish.”

6. Lopburi Monkey Banquet Festival — Thailand

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Once a year, thousands of macaques get the meal of a lifetime at the Phra Prang Sam Yot temple in Lopburi, Thailand. Almost two tons of fruits and veggies — including watermelon, pineapple, durian, and lettuce — are artfully stacked on banquet tables and hidden under sheets until the monkeys arrive. Then, it’s feasting time.

The macaques are thought to bring good luck (and tourists) to the area and the annual banquet is a way for the local people to say thanks.

7. World Toe Wrestling Championships – England

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Every year in Ashbourne, England, athletes gather to showcase their skills in the lesser-known sport of toe wrestling. Seriously. Competition is fierce in this tournament-style event, which pits one toe against another in an all-out battle. Whoever can pin down the other player’s toe for three seconds is the winner — although there are often three rounds and a changing of feet (right foot plays first, then left, then back to right). Toe-tally amazing.

8. Baby Jumping Festival — Spain

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If you want something different, how about a festival where men in devil costumes jump over rows of actual babies? It happens every year (really) in Castrillo de Murcia, a village three hours north of Madrid. While it may sound bizarre, the age-old ritual (it dates back to the early 1600s) is done to supposedly cleanse the babies of sin. Known as “El Colacho,” parents willingly place their newly born children on pillows in a public street to be leaped over by men in masks and bright yellow costumes. According to National Geographic, no injuries have been reported, but the tradition is still a topic of debate among the Catholic Church.

9. Takhini Hot Springs Hair Freezing Contest — Canada

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This winter event is all about creativity (styling your hair in wild ways takes work!), freezing temperatures, and cozy hot spring water (yes, please). To win big, all you have to do is visit Takhini Hot Springs when the temperature drops below -20°C (-4°F) during the contest period, typically December through March. Hop in the water, dunk your head, and let the freeze begin.

10. Kanamara Matsuri – Japan

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During spring in Japan, the cherry blossoms get all the attention but they aren’t the only thing making headlines. Each April, Kanamara Matsuri, aka the “Penis Festival” or the "Festival of the Steel Phallus," kicks off at the Kanayama Shrine, a Shinto shrine that's associated with sexuality and the male anatomy. Dating back to the 17th century, the festival celebrates fertility, good relationships, and safe sex, and these days it also supports HIV research. In addition to ginormous phallic creations being paraded down the street, you’ll find penis-shaped candy, decor, and even carved vegetables.

11. Cheung Chau Bun Festival (Jiao Festival) — Hong Kong

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Every year the island of Cheung Chau hosts a giant celebration around...steamed buns. According to locals, this festival started after the island was hit with a plague: Residents set up an altar outside Pak Tai temple and paraded through the streets so the Taoist god would chase the plague and evil spirits away. These days it's a celebration of well-being, peace, and of course "lucky buns" (ping on bao). For many, the highlight of the event is the bun-scrambling competition, which sees people attempt to climb the 45-foot-tall bun-covered towers and grab as many lucky buns as they can.

12. World Bog Snorkeling Championships — Wales

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If you haven’t quite yet found your sport, don’t despair. The tiny country of Wales has invented something completely different: a 60-meter (.03-mile) swim through a wonderfully muddy peat bog. The course requires endurance, a willingness to get dirty, and, perhaps most importantly, a reliable snorkel. If you want more, you might want to consider the Bog Triathlon, which tacks on an 8-mile run and 12-mile mountain bike ride, after you’ve enjoyed your time in the bog.

13. Night of the Radishes — Mexico

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Chances are you’ve heard of ice carving and pumpkin carving, but what about radish carving? Each year, at Noche de Rabanos (Night of the Radishes) in Oaxaca, Mexico, talented radish carvers become front and center, creating dioramas that reflect anything from local wildlife to Mayan imagery and the nativity scene.

14. Face Slapping Championship — Russia

Danny Armstrong @DannyWArmstrong

Meanwhile in Russia...the 'male slapping championships' took place in Krasnoyarsk. The winner, Vasiliy Kamotskiy (left) took home 30,000 rubles (£350) 👏🇷🇺

05:30 PM - 19 Mar 2019

@DannyWArmstrong / Via Twitter: @DannyWArmstrong

In Russia, they have their own version of Fight Club: a slapping contest where two men take turns slapping each other as hard as they can. The competition tests the opponents’ tolerance for pain and strength, until one man is left standing. The winner takes home 25,000 roubles ($350 USD). Worth it?

15. Underwater Music Festival — United States

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Standard music festivals are so last year, especially when you can jam out to music while chilling UNDERWATER. It’s a reality at the Underwater Music Festival in Lower Keys, Florida, an event where divers and snorkelers get in costume and hang on the ocean floor. While music is piped underwater, festival participants can rock out on marine-themed instruments. It’s like next-level air guitar.

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