Most Awkward Festivals On Earth

What can be more odd than playing with your pet in the morning, cooking it in the afternoon, and then eating it for supper? Here is the festival devoted to this kind of action and some no less strange ones.

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Cat Food Festival

If you have tried almost all species of exotic food like cockroaches and snakes, you should continue with your pets as this festival is about eating what? – cats! The festival takes place in the month of September sacrificing about fifty cats for the occasion. You may find there a variety of dishes prepared of cat meat such as schnitzel, huacatay or greaves. Animals are bred and fattened especially for human consumption.

Baby Jumping Festival

It is known to be one of the most awkward festivals on Earth and is named as the most dangerous one. During the act, known as the devil’s jump or simply El Colacho, men dressed as the Devil jump over babies born during the previous twelve months of the year who lie on mattresses in the street. The origins of the tradition are unknown but it is said to cleanse the babies of original sin, ensure them safe passage through life and guard against illness and evil spirits.

Festival of the Horns

Poor men, this festival is to take compassion for you and lend you a moral support. If your wife or girlfriend has ever cheated on you, then take the horns and march with the rest through the streets. The festival is celebrated every year in the city of Rocca Canterano, outside of Rome. The association with horns is said to date back to the Roman Empire. Many warriors left for battle for extended periods of time. Upon their return, they were given a pair of horns as a gift. However, when they returned to their homes, they often found their wives had left them for other men. So the term “cornuto” began to refer to a man who has been cheated on. It is usual nowadays that together with the horns men take the presents they were given by their ex-lovers and break them with all their grief and anger.

La Tomatina

What started as something of a street fight between teenagers using tomatoes from nearby vegetable stalls has turned into the largest tomato fight in the world. It happens every year in the small Spanish town of Bunyol and over the course of about 1 hour the town gets so covered in tomatoes that the fire department has to come in and spray everything down.

Near Death Festival

Hundreds of people attend mass in honor of Saint Marta de Ribarteme, the Patron saint of resurrection. Don’t be surprised, however, if you see a bunch of people being carried there in coffins. No, they’re not dead, at least not yet. They’re actually in the coffin because they’ve just had a near death experience in the past 12 months and are now showing their gratitude.

Argungu Fishing Festival

Every year in the town of Argungu, Nigeria all the local men compete to see who can pull the largest fish out of the river using nothing but their bare hands. Ladies, watch out and take notes, the winner is supposed to be a real catch!

Goose Pulling Festival

Each year on Shrove Tuesday in various towns throughout Germany and the Netherlands villagers take part in a very old and not less awkward activity. Basically a goose is hung from either a wire or a pole after which participants take turns trying to pull its head off. Don’t be too occupied with questioning the animal’s rights after holding such events. The animal rights activist has already achieved agreement on using dead animals only for such celebrations.

Wife Carrying Championship

Matrimonial vows compel husbands to metaphorically carry their spouses in times of sickness and trial. For a couple of decades in a small town in central Finland, this challenge has been taken a bit more literally. Men are tasked and timed carrying their wives through a 253.5-metre obstacle course, with prizes awarded to the quickest, the strongest, the most entertaining and the best-costumed pairs. The prize is a quantity of beer as big as the weight of winner’s wife.

Oranges Battle

You have already heard about Spanish tomatoes battle but be sure it’s nothing compared to Italian oranges battle! The origins of this festival are unclear, but we do know that being hit in the face by citrus fruit is painful. However, that doesn’t deter participants and they gather in crowds to smash each other’s faces. Cruel, isn’t it?

Naked Men Fight

Go to the psychist and get yourself mentally prepared for this kind of event which takes place in Japan. You will have to watch 9000 near naked men fight over 20 cm-long stick. The thing is that a priest tosses two sacred shingi sticks into the heaving mass at midnight and whoever catches, snatches and, ultimately, stuffs the sticks into a box of heaped rice will be blessed with a year of happiness, plus some aching limbs in the morning.