Weird and Wonderful Festivals Around The World

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD JAN MALAYSIA THAIPUSAM PARTICIPANT S SHAVE THEIR HEADS AND PERFORMA PILGRIMAGE AFTER WHICH THEY PUSH SKEWERS OUCH! THROUGH THEIR TONGUES + CHEEKS FEB VENICE CARNIVAL THE VENICE CARNIVAL IS NOW WORLD FAMOUS - IT ALWAYS TAKES PLACE DURING THE TEN DAYS LEADING UP TO SHROVE TUESDAY. CARNIVAL, BEING A PRE-LENT FESTNAL, MEANS FAREWELL TO MEAT AND IS CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT ITALY. MAR FROZEN DEAD GUY DAY NEDERLAND, COLORADO LOOSELY CELEBRATES, THROUGH A THEME OF FROZEN/ICE/BLUE/WINTER. THE DISCOVERY OF THE CRYONIC STATE CORPSE OF BREDO MORSTOEL, BRRRR! APR QUEENSDAY AMSTERDAM QUEENSDAY ("KONINGINNEDAG" IN DUTCH) IN AMSTERDAM IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAY FESTIVAL SEASON AS THE DUTCH CELEBRATE THEIR QUEEN'S BIRT HDAY. THE REDNECK GAMES BORN OUT OF ANGER AT MEDIA SUGGESTIONS THAT THE OLYMPICS IN ATLANTA WOULD BE HOSTED BY A 'BUNCH OF REDNECKS', THE REDNECK GAMES FEATURES EVENTS SUCH AS TOILET SEAT THROWING', 'BOBBING FOR PIG'S TROTTERS, THE 'MUD PIT BELLY FLOP AND THE MYSTERIOUS 'ARMPIT SERENADE MAY GEORGIA, USA COOPER'S HILL CHEESE ROLLING COMPETITORS RACE DOWN THE HILL AFTER A ROUND OF DOUBLE GLOUCESTER THE COOPER'S HILL CHEESE-ROLLING AND WAKE IS AN ANNUAL EVENT HELD ON THNE SPRING BANK HOLIDAY AT C00PER'S HILL NEAR GLOUSTERSHIRE. JUN RUNNING OF JUL THE BULLS THE FIESTAS ARE CELEBRATED IN HONOUR OF SAN FERMIN, PATRON SAINT OF NAVARRA. THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS IS A PRACTICE THAT INVOLVES RUNNING IN FRONT OF A SMALL GROUP OF BULLS THAT HAVE BEEN LET LOOSE, ON A SECTIONED-OFF SUBSET OF A TOWN'S STREETS. RUN FOR IT! PAMPLONA, SPAIN AUG WIFE CARRYING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, FINLAND PARTICIPANT S IN THE SEVENTEENTH WORLD WIFE CARRYING CHAMPIONSHIPS AIM TO WIN A RELAY RACE WHILE CARRYING THEIR WIVES. WINNER WINS HIS WIFE'S WEIGHT IN BEER! MUNICH, GERMANY SEP OKTOBERFEST ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS EVENTS IN GERMANY AND THE WORLD'S LARGEST FAIR. WITH MORE THAN FINE MILLION PEOPLE ATTENDING EVERY YEAR. 7.5 LITRES MALON BEER SOLD ост DAYor THE DEAD OF MEXICO, GUATEMALA, BRAZIL AND PARTS OF ECUADOR EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS HONOURS DEPARTED SOULS OF LOVED ONES WHO ARE WELCOMED BACK FORA FEW INTIMATE HOURS. AT BURIAL SITES OR INTRICATELY BUILT ALTARS, PHOTOS OF LOVED ONES ARE CENTERED ON SKELETON FIGURINES, BRIGHT DECORATIONS, CANDLES, CANDY AND OT HER OFFERINGS SUCH AS THE FAVORITE FOODS OF THE DEPARTED. MONKEY BUFFET FESTINAL OVER SIX HUNDRED MONKEYS ARE INVITED TO FEAST ON OVER TWO TONNES OF GRILLED SAUSAGE, FRESH FRUIT, ICE CREAM AND OT HER TREATS. THE LOCALS SEE IT AS A THANK YOU TO THE MONKEYS WHICH INHABIT THE VILLAGE AND BRING THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS THERE EACH YEAR. NOV LOPBURI, THAILAND FANCY A GRILLED SAUSAGE? THE SCOTLAND ISLAND 500 DEC SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA THE SIX HUNDRED OR SO RESIDENTS OF SCOTLAND ISLAND OFF PITTWATER IN NORT HERN SYDNEY CATCH A FERRY ACROSS A SIX HUNDRED-METRE STRAIGHT TO GET TO THE MAINLAND. BUT ONCE A YEAR, ON CHRIST MAS EVE, THEY ROW, SWIM AND CAJOLE THEIR POOCHES AS THEY DOG PADDLE TOGET HER WITH THEIR CANINES, WHO COMPETE FOR THE ANNUAL PRIZE. WEIRD AND WONDERFUL FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD JAN MALAYSIA THAIPUSAM PARTICIPANT S SHAVE THEIR HEADS AND PERFORMA PILGRIMAGE AFTER WHICH THEY PUSH SKEWERS OUCH! THROUGH THEIR TONGUES + CHEEKS FEB VENICE CARNIVAL THE VENICE CARNIVAL IS NOW WORLD FAMOUS - IT ALWAYS TAKES PLACE DURING THE TEN DAYS LEADING UP TO SHROVE TUESDAY. CARNIVAL, BEING A PRE-LENT FESTNAL, MEANS FAREWELL TO MEAT AND IS CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT ITALY. MAR FROZEN DEAD GUY DAY NEDERLAND, COLORADO LOOSELY CELEBRATES, THROUGH A THEME OF FROZEN/ICE/BLUE/WINTER. THE DISCOVERY OF THE CRYONIC STATE CORPSE OF BREDO MORSTOEL, BRRRR! APR QUEENSDAY AMSTERDAM QUEENSDAY ("KONINGINNEDAG" IN DUTCH) IN AMSTERDAM IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAY FESTIVAL SEASON AS THE DUTCH CELEBRATE THEIR QUEEN'S BIRT HDAY. THE REDNECK GAMES BORN OUT OF ANGER AT MEDIA SUGGESTIONS THAT THE OLYMPICS IN ATLANTA WOULD BE HOSTED BY A 'BUNCH OF REDNECKS', THE REDNECK GAMES FEATURES EVENTS SUCH AS TOILET SEAT THROWING', 'BOBBING FOR PIG'S TROTTERS, THE 'MUD PIT BELLY FLOP AND THE MYSTERIOUS 'ARMPIT SERENADE MAY GEORGIA, USA COOPER'S HILL CHEESE ROLLING COMPETITORS RACE DOWN THE HILL AFTER A ROUND OF DOUBLE GLOUCESTER THE COOPER'S HILL CHEESE-ROLLING AND WAKE IS AN ANNUAL EVENT HELD ON THNE SPRING BANK HOLIDAY AT C00PER'S HILL NEAR GLOUSTERSHIRE. JUN RUNNING OF JUL THE BULLS THE FIESTAS ARE CELEBRATED IN HONOUR OF SAN FERMIN, PATRON SAINT OF NAVARRA. THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS IS A PRACTICE THAT INVOLVES RUNNING IN FRONT OF A SMALL GROUP OF BULLS THAT HAVE BEEN LET LOOSE, ON A SECTIONED-OFF SUBSET OF A TOWN'S STREETS. RUN FOR IT! PAMPLONA, SPAIN AUG WIFE CARRYING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, FINLAND PARTICIPANT S IN THE SEVENTEENTH WORLD WIFE CARRYING CHAMPIONSHIPS AIM TO WIN A RELAY RACE WHILE CARRYING THEIR WIVES. WINNER WINS HIS WIFE'S WEIGHT IN BEER! MUNICH, GERMANY SEP OKTOBERFEST ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS EVENTS IN GERMANY AND THE WORLD'S LARGEST FAIR. WITH MORE THAN FINE MILLION PEOPLE ATTENDING EVERY YEAR. 7.5 LITRES MALON BEER SOLD ост DAYor THE DEAD OF MEXICO, GUATEMALA, BRAZIL AND PARTS OF ECUADOR EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS HONOURS DEPARTED SOULS OF LOVED ONES WHO ARE WELCOMED BACK FORA FEW INTIMATE HOURS. AT BURIAL SITES OR INTRICATELY BUILT ALTARS, PHOTOS OF LOVED ONES ARE CENTERED ON SKELETON FIGURINES, BRIGHT DECORATIONS, CANDLES, CANDY AND OT HER OFFERINGS SUCH AS THE FAVORITE FOODS OF THE DEPARTED. MONKEY BUFFET FESTINAL OVER SIX HUNDRED MONKEYS ARE INVITED TO FEAST ON OVER TWO TONNES OF GRILLED SAUSAGE, FRESH FRUIT, ICE CREAM AND OT HER TREATS. THE LOCALS SEE IT AS A THANK YOU TO THE MONKEYS WHICH INHABIT THE VILLAGE AND BRING THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS THERE EACH YEAR. NOV LOPBURI, THAILAND FANCY A GRILLED SAUSAGE? THE SCOTLAND ISLAND 500 DEC SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA THE SIX HUNDRED OR SO RESIDENTS OF SCOTLAND ISLAND OFF PITTWATER IN NORT HERN SYDNEY CATCH A FERRY ACROSS A SIX HUNDRED-METRE STRAIGHT TO GET TO THE MAINLAND. BUT ONCE A YEAR, ON CHRIST MAS EVE, THEY ROW, SWIM AND CAJOLE THEIR POOCHES AS THEY DOG PADDLE TOGET HER WITH THEIR CANINES, WHO COMPETE FOR THE ANNUAL PRIZE.