Last summer I attended the the World Wife-Carrying Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland. It's a crazy day full of strange and wonderful Finnish traditions. The participants come from all over the world (but mostly Estonia, who completely dominant the competition) to hoist women up on their shoulders in the most hilarious holds in the hopes of winning the honor of first place and....the wife's weight in beer.

Sadly, I wasn't able to attend the Mobile Phone Throwing Championships in Savonlinna while I was Finland. Maybe on my next trip!

Posted By halee on June 21, 2007, 5:47 AM

One summer, when my boyfriend and I were heading north to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, we found the highway (I-75) blocked because of an accident. We inched our way to the nearest exit to hang out until the accident was cleared. We found ourselves in Munger, Michigan, where the annual Potato Festival was being held! What a cool country festival! They handed out free 5-lb. bags of potatoes to anyone willing to stand in line for them. I noticed some people were willing to stand in line more than once!

Posted By Petie on June 21, 2007, 8:35 AM

I lived in Byron, Illinois several years ago and attended The Turkey Testicle Festival. The festival is always the 2nd Saturday in October, and the first band starts around 11:00am. and the last band plays until 11:00pm. It is a huge event and just about the entire town gets involved. There is dancing and lot's of drinking and yes, for those wondering you have to get an order of Turkey Testicles as they really do serve them. It was a lot of fun and if you are out that way make sure you don't miss it!
Sorry, No one under 21 will be admitted to the Festival.

Posted By Debbie on June 21, 2007, 9:31 AM

Caseville, MI (near the tip of the Thumb) has the summer's best festival: Cheeseburger in Caseville. The Tropical Parade of Fools on Wednesday is awesome. People are dressed as pirates, carribbean sunbeams, bikini girls, etc. The row, row, your cardboard boat race in Lake Huron is fun, and there is plenty of beach fun. concerts almost every night, and cheeseburgers for sale on grills up and down Main Street. Always in Aug.

Posted By Sally Stewart on June 21, 2007, 9:56 AM

I'm not sure why Michigan seems to be dominating this list, but I have to put in a plug for the bologna festival in Yale, Michigan. What's not to love about a town that is literally full of baloney?

Posted By Mike Hofert on June 21, 2007, 10:45 AM

I had won a contest and was in Zurich where I was enjoying a two day stay at the uber-expensive Bar au Lac hotel. One day I was wandering about on the very uncrowded Limmatquai along the river Limmat.

All of a sudden an old style bicycle, the kind with the huge wheel in the front, rode with someone in period dress on top. Then another. Then another!

Soon, the bicycles aged in shape and style only to be followed by turn of the century carts pulled by horses and then examples of the world's first cars. Cars from the 20's to the 60's paraded by, much to the amusement and delight of the surpised onlookers including myself!

What a pleasant little happenby!

Posted By Stevin on June 21, 2007, 10:59 AM

The Crawdad Festival held
each year on Father's Day
in a little delta town 30
miles from Sacramento, Ca.
People come from as far as
Louisiana just to here the
cajun bands and eat crawfish. This year I took
a picture with a CRAWDAD MASCOT. He was very entaining. It has calmed down over the years as it had a New Orleans Madri Grai atmosphere. It is more family oriented. I know because I live in Isleton, Ca. and have attended all festivals
during the past 25 years!

Posted By Dianna Souza Smith on June 21, 2007, 11:43 AM

The Trenary Outhouse Classic in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the place to be on the last Saturday in February. The crowd of 1500-3000 watches as two person teams slide elaboratively decorated outhouses on skis approximately 200 yards over the snow. Trenary, MI.

Posted By Jamie D. on June 21, 2007, 4:45 PM

Last summer my husband and I attended the RC Cola & Moon Pie festival in Bell Buckle, TN. While there, we watched a parade and shopped street vendors.
In the afternoon, we were able to watch synchronized wading (a skit in a kiddie pool), participate in games (how far can you throw a Moon Pie, watermelon seed spitting, etc) and sample the world's larget Moon Pie.
What a festival!!!!!!!!

Posted By Katie Waters on June 22, 2007, 8:06 AM

The Judy Garland Festival is held in Grand Rapids Minnesota each June. A "can't miss" event for Judy fans. I couldn't find any toto dogs for lunch.

Posted By Gary Wood on June 24, 2007, 10:46 AM

Have you ever been to Oatman, Arizona? Bed Races in January, Egg Frying in July and Burro Biscuit Throwing...well most anytime! It's a little more commercialized than it was years ago, but that sure doesn't stop the fun. A parade through main street only lasts a few minutes, the memory is for a life-time.

Posted By Ro on July 2, 2007, 6:46 AM

The Mullet Festival is in October in Niceville, Florida. This festival celebrates mullet the fish, not the hairstyle - although there are plenty of both in attendence. The star of the show is the mullet dinner with cheese grits and hush puppies at the Boggy Boys booth. There are artists, craft vendors, kiddie rides, and non-stop musical entertainment. Last year Willie Nelson was the top musical entertainment.

Posted By Gayle Leary on May 8, 2008, 2:24 PM

The wackiest thing I ever saw was the Washboard Festival in Logan, Ohio (Columbus Washboard Company). We were attending a Triumph Register of America Annual Convention at the Burr Oak State Park, and my wife and I had taken off for an afternoon of cruising. We rolled into Logan, and in the downtown area we saw clothes strung across the street on what looked like the clothes lines that those of us who have less color in our hair than the national average would probably remember.

At any rate there is a lot of fun to be had at this one. These Ohio folk appear to know how to have a party and maintain their conduct. The festival takes place June 16,17 & 18 this year. There is something for everyone. Music, crafts, history and, of course, refreshments and food. I hope those who might loose track of time will enjoy it.

Dale & Jan
from South Dakota

Posted By Dale Olson on May 8, 2008, 3:47 PM

I've not been there but I understand that the annual "Moon the Amtrak" in Laguna Niguel, California is unusual to say the least. Here's the website: http://www.moonamtrak.org/

Posted By Dan Squibb on May 9, 2008, 10:24 PM

WE JUST CAME BACK FROM ATTENDING THE HOUSTON TEXAS ART CAR PARADE WHICH WAS AWESOME. OVER 270 ENTRIES OF "CARS" (TO USE THE TERM VERY GENERALLY)DECORATED OUTLANDISHLY. WITH THE WEB SITE INFO IT WAS VERY EASY TO PARK AND GET A GOOD VIEWING SPOT BUT B4 THE PARADE YOU CAN WALK AMONG THE ENTRIES FOR CLOSE UP INSPECTION WHICH WAS GREAT. FOOD VENDORS ETC ALONG THE ROUTE KEEP YOU REFRESHED. AFTER DARK THEY HAVE A NIGHT PARADE FOR THE CARS THAT ARE "LIGHTED". WE FLEW TO HOUSTON TO SEE THE PARADE(FROM PHOENIX)-IT WAS WELL WORTH IT.WE MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE TOURISTS, BECAUSE A REPORTER INTERVIEWED US FOR A BIT THAT APPEARED IN THEIR PAPER THE NEXT DAY. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 21 YEARS, AND IT IS VERY WELL ORGANIZED...EVERYONE WE MET WAS SO FRIENDLY..THE DATE WAS 10MAY2008, NOT SURE OF NEXT YEAR. PUT ON BY THE ORANGE ART COUNCIL. RESEARCH IT AND PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR FOR 2009 IF YOU LIKE CRAZY PARADES.....

Posted By VALERIE on May 14, 2008, 2:14 PM