Ten of the World's Quirkiest Festivals

DALLAS, June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Every culture and country has a way of celebrating holidays and special occasions, but some festivals are solely created for pure fun and entertainment. Hotels.com® has compiled 10 of the funkiest festivals found around the world for travelers to explore.  

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120618/DA26380)

"Festivals give travelers a unique experience and special insight into the destination and culture," says Taylor L. Cole, director public relations and social media, North America at Hotels.com. "Our customers often travel to pursue a passion or hobby. Whether it's running with the bulls or running a marathon, the experts at Hotels.com will help you find the perfect place to do it."

Hotels.com has devised a list of some of the world's most unusual festivals for travelers to explore.

1. Frozen Dead Guy Days – Nederland, Colorado - March
   What is it? This festival pays tribute to Grandpa Bredo, who remains a frozen resident in a shed in the hills above Nederland, Colorado. Festival-goers celebrate by enjoying live entertainment and partaking in events such as coffin racing, polar plunging, frozen t-shirt contests, ice turkey bowling and more.
2. La Tomatina, Bunol, Spain – August
   What is it? Known as the 'World's Biggest Food Fight,' this wild festival draws thousands of people from all over the world to chuck more than one hundred metric tons of tomatoes in the streets of Bunol. The hour-long food fight is part of a greater festival with music, parades, dancing and more. Finding a room the night before the food fight can be difficult so consider staying in neighboring Valencia. Only a 40-minute drive or bus ride away, Valencia offers a wide array of accommodations from smaller boutique hotels like Chill Art Hotel Jardin Botanico, and a five-star hotel such as Hospes Palau De La Mar.
3. UFO Festival - Roswell, New Mexico – July
   What is it? In July 1947, a mysterious object crashed on a ranch outside of Roswell and the controversy that ignited over the object sparked the annual UFO Festival. UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike enjoy the three-day family-friendly event, which features live entertainment, a costume contest, a pet costume contest, parade, guest speakers, authors and more.
4. Darwin Beer Can Regatta - Darwin, Australia – July
   What is it? This one-day, family-friendly festival features events and competitions in the water, on the shore and on the beach. During the Beer Can Regatta, crews of four adults test their boat building and racing skills on the water as they try to create and maneuver vessels made of empty cans and milk cartons. Other events include a kids' sand castle competition, beach races, and tug-of-war and kayak races.
5. Boryeong Mud Festival, Boryeong, South Korea – July
   What is it? This festival is literally one of the dirtiest celebrations on the planet. The city of Boryeong boasts Daecheon Beach, famous for its beautifying mud, which is rich in minerals and used to manufacture cosmetics. Conceived to promote these cosmetics, the festival allows travelers to enjoy mud pools, mud prison and mud skiing competitions. Attendees can also participate in body painting with beautifully-colored mud and enjoy live entertainment and a fantastic fireworks display at the end of the festival.
6. Cheese Rolling Festival, Cooper's Hill, Gloucestershire, England – June
   What is it? The name of the event itself is largely self-explanatory. Held annually, the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Festival was traditionally by and for the people who live in Brockworth, but now people from around the globe come to race. Participants line up at the top of Cooper's Hill; and the race is started when a round piece of cheese is rolled down the hill. The first person to reach the cheese will win the race. However there's a catch – the hill is extremely steep, making the cheese roll so fast that no person can catch it and win the race on their feet. Hilarity ensues after participants that begin on their feet, end up tumbling down the hill within seconds.
7. Battle of the Oranges, Ivrea, Italy – February
   What is it?  The festival's origins are uncertain but a popular account says that the festival commemorates the city's defiance against a ruling tyrant. Every year for the battle, residents dressed in medieval costumes are divided into nine teams and take turns attacking each other with thousands of oranges. Tips for surviving the fight range from wearing a helmet to having shoes with good traction to avoid slipping. Only interested in observing? Wearing a red hat identifies a person as a spectator and allows them to watch the event untouched.
8. Trenary Outhouse Classic, Trenary, Michigan – February
   What is it? Participants decorate and race homemade outhouses over snow during the last Saturday in February. The rules are simple: the outhouse must be mounted on skis, can be made out of any type of material, and must be equipped with a toilet and toilet paper. The outhouse is powered by three people: two pushers and one rider. Two races are held; one for adults and one for kids.
9. Watermelon Thump, Luling, Texas – June
   What is it? The four-day extravaganza celebrates all things watermelon. The festival consists of live music and entertainment, a car show, food, and arts and craft vendors. There are several competitions throughout the event including a team seed spitting and melon eating contest plus the Champion Watermelon award, which is given to the largest Black Diamond watermelon.
10. World Grits Festival, St. George, South Carolina – April
    What is it? The three-day grits celebration in St. George, South Carolina has put this small town on the map. Festival-goers can expect eating and cooking contests, corn tossing and shelling, crowning of the coveted Miss Grits awards, carnivals, live music and more. The festival draws more than 45,000 attendees, but no need to worry about hotel availability as there are various options including the Peach Tree Inn.

Visit www.hotels.com, call 1-800-2-hotels, use our mobile apps, or book with a friend through our Facebook app Hotels WithMe for hotel deals and seasonal sales.  Other news, images and infographics are available at our media room: http://press.hotels.com/en-us/.

For more information, please call:

Megan Tyrie – Finn Partners for Hotels.com
Phone: (212) 593-5815
Email: [email protected]   

Taylor L. Cole, APR
Hotels.com North America
Phone: (469) 335-8442
Email: [email protected]

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