These are definitely the strangest festivals around the world

Would you wanna be there?

These are definitely the strangest festivals around the world

Ever been to a festival and thought, "Well, this is… different"? Around the world, communities gather to celebrate everything from tomatoes and radishes to monkeys and giant wooden effigies set on fire. The festivals on this list prove one thing: humans are wonderfully creative when it comes to celebrating. Ready to discover some of the strangest festivals on the planet?

La Tomatina, Spain

Every August in the small town of Buñol, Spain, thousands gather for one simple mission: to throw tomatoes at complete strangers. Why? No one fully agrees, and that somehow makes it better.

The hour-long food fight uses overripe tomatoes grown specifically for the event, and the streets turn into a red river of pulp. There are rules, yes, including squashing tomatoes before throwing them. But still, would you willingly step into a flying fruit battlefield?

Burning Man, USA

In Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, a temporary city rises from dust each year, built on art and radical self-expression. For one week, participants at Burning Man create massive art installations, themed camps, and experimental performances. There’s no money exchanged inside the event, only gifting.

It all culminates in the burning of a giant wooden effigy known as "The Man."

Day of the Dead, Mexico

Celebrated primarily in Mexico on November 1 and 2, the vibrant Day of the Dead holiday honors loved ones who have passed away. Families build altars with photos, marigolds, candles, and favorite foods of the deceased.

Sugar skulls and painted faces may look spooky, but the mood is joyful rather than mournful. Cemeteries glow with candlelight and music throughout the night.

Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China

What’s the biggest snowman you’ve ever seen? It was probably nothing compared to this. Each winter in Harbin, China, sculptors carve massive castles, bridges, and mythical creatures from blocks of ice cut from the frozen Songhua River.

At night, colorful lights turn the sculptures into a neon winter wonderland. Some structures are large enough to walk through. How often do you get to explore a city made entirely of ice?

Monkey Buffet Festival, Thailand

Once a year in Lopburi, Thailand, locals lay out massive fruit and vegetable feasts for the town’s thousands of macaques. We’re talking towering displays of watermelon, corn, and sticky rice, artfully arranged just for monkeys.

Why celebrate them? Because they’re believed to bring tourism and good fortune. During the Monkey Buffet Festival, the monkeys climb, grab, scatter, and feast while humans watch the chaos unfold.

Up Helly Aa, Scotland

Picture this: hundreds of torch-bearing Vikings marching through the dark winter streets of Lerwick, Scotland. Every January, Shetlanders honor their Norse heritage by building and ceremonially burning a full-sized Viking longship.

The procession ends in a spectacular blaze that lights up the winter night. Afterward, the celebration continues indoors with music and dancing until morning. It's a chance for the community to step into Viking history for a day.

Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake, England

On a steep hill in Gloucestershire, England, competitors chase a rolling wheel of Double Gloucester cheese downhill at full speed. The prize is the cheese itself, naturally. The hill is so steep that injuries are common, yet participants return year after year. There’s no formal registration or safety briefing, just gravity and determination.

Ganzenrijden, Netherlands & Belgium

Known as "goose riding" or "goose pulling," Ganzenrijde is a centuries-old folk tradition involving riders on horseback trying to pull the head off a suspended goose while galloping beneath it. Historically, the goose was real, which understandably sparked controversy.

Today, in the Netherlands and Belgium, the practice has evolved, and most events use symbolic substitutes under strict regulation.

Night Glow Festival, Japan

Every February in the small town of Kawazu, Japan, hundreds of sky lanterns are released at night along the river during the early cherry blossom season. As the pink blossoms bloom weeks before the rest of Japan, the glowing lanterns drift upward in quiet synchronization.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival, China

On the island of Cheung Chau, Hong Kong, competitors race to climb three giant 60-foot bamboo structures covered in replica buns, a traditional Hong Kong food. The goal is to grab as many lucky buns as possible before time runs out.

The tradition dates back to a 19th-century plague, when residents prayed for protection and peace. The festival is celebrated annually, usually in May, and also includes events like parades and lion dances.