Strange celebrations

Odd Festivals

Celebrations, contests, gatherings, and traditions that could only happen here.

67 documented festivalsBrowse the festival calendar

Waikiki SPAM JAM

Honolulu, Hawaii

Waikiki turns canned meat into a street party with restaurant creations, live music, vendors and distinctly Hawaiian takes on SPAM.

May

Hodag Heritage Festival

Rhinelander, Wisconsin

Rhinelander celebrates its legendary Hodag with creature-calling, local history, music, museums, tours and other Northwoods folklore activities.

May

Kinetic Grand Championship

Arcata, California

Human-powered works of art race across roads, sand, mud and water during Humboldt County's famously eccentric kinetic sculpture competition.

May

McMinnville UFO Festival

McMinnville, Oregon

Oregon wine country becomes an alien costume parade inspired by a famous pair of UFO photographs.

May

Mike the Headless Chicken Festival

Fruita, Colorado

Fruita celebrates its famously resilient chicken with a quirky hometown festival.

May

Toad Suck Daze

Conway, Arkansas

Conway embraces one of America's strangest festival names with World Championship Toad Races, concerts, carnival rides, shopping and family activities.

June

Coney Island Mermaid Parade

Brooklyn, New York

Mermaids, sea monsters and homemade ocean fantasies parade through Coney Island.

June

Fremont Solstice Parade

Seattle, Washington

Giant puppets, surreal handmade floats and painted cyclists welcome summer in Seattle.

June

Grafton Monster Festival

Grafton, West Virginia

Grafton celebrates its pale, mysterious local monster with cryptid speakers, costumes, themed vendors, music and a downtown festival.

June

Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival

Little Chute, Wisconsin

Little Chute spends three days on cheese tasting, curd eating, carving, food, music, a parade and a carnival at Doyle Park.

June

Jackalope Days

Douglas, Wyoming

Douglas celebrates its horned-rabbit folklore with a multi-day mix of downtown vendors, railroad activities, races, music and community traditions.

June

Lizard Man Stomp

Bishopville, South Carolina

Bishopville celebrates the legendary Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp with a downtown parade, vendors, entertainment and creature-themed festivities.