Bizarre Festivals
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 2:05 pm
Gotmaar Festival (India, September) - On the day after the September full moon, the 45,000 residents of Pandhura divide themselves into two groups and hurl rocks at each other until sunset when the fighting ends.
Moose-Dropping Festival (Alaska, July) - The town of Talkeetna is host to an annual celebration of moose-droppings. Stalls sell jewelry and assorted knick-knacks made from moose-droppings. The highlight of the celebration is the moose-dropping-throwing competition, where competitors throw gold-painted moose-droppings into a target area.
Cheese-Rolling (U.K., May) - At 6 p.m. on Spring Bank Holiday Monday, local youths line up at the top of the hill alongside a 7 pound circular Double Gloucester cheese. When the cheese is released, the competitors hurtle down the hill in an attempt to catch it before it reaches the bottom.
Grandmother's Festival (Norway, July) - First held at Bodo in 1992, the festival sees grannies riding motorbikes, racehorses, skydiving and scuba-diving. The star of the inaugural event was 79-year-old Elida Anderson who became the world's oldest bungee jumper.
La Tomatina (Spain) - This festival dates back to 1944 when the fair at Bunol was ruined by hooligans hurling tomatoes at the procession. Now each year the town stages a 90-minute mass fight with 190,000 pounds of ripe tomatoes.
Running of the Sheep (U.S., September) - Reedpoint, Montana, stages a gentle alternative to Spain's famous Running of the Bulls. Each September hundreds of sheep charge down Main Street for six blocks. Contests are held for the ugliest sheep and prettiest ewe while shepherds assemble to recite poetry.
Moose-Dropping Festival (Alaska, July) - The town of Talkeetna is host to an annual celebration of moose-droppings. Stalls sell jewelry and assorted knick-knacks made from moose-droppings. The highlight of the celebration is the moose-dropping-throwing competition, where competitors throw gold-painted moose-droppings into a target area.
Cheese-Rolling (U.K., May) - At 6 p.m. on Spring Bank Holiday Monday, local youths line up at the top of the hill alongside a 7 pound circular Double Gloucester cheese. When the cheese is released, the competitors hurtle down the hill in an attempt to catch it before it reaches the bottom.
Grandmother's Festival (Norway, July) - First held at Bodo in 1992, the festival sees grannies riding motorbikes, racehorses, skydiving and scuba-diving. The star of the inaugural event was 79-year-old Elida Anderson who became the world's oldest bungee jumper.
La Tomatina (Spain) - This festival dates back to 1944 when the fair at Bunol was ruined by hooligans hurling tomatoes at the procession. Now each year the town stages a 90-minute mass fight with 190,000 pounds of ripe tomatoes.
Running of the Sheep (U.S., September) - Reedpoint, Montana, stages a gentle alternative to Spain's famous Running of the Bulls. Each September hundreds of sheep charge down Main Street for six blocks. Contests are held for the ugliest sheep and prettiest ewe while shepherds assemble to recite poetry.
