1. Turkey Trot Festival – Yellville, Arkansas
Every fall, Yellville hosts a controversial event involving wild turkeys being dropped from planes. While not all residents agree with the practice, it’s been a tradition for over 50 years. The town has since pivoted to celebrate turkeys more humanely through music and parades.
2. Chicken Flying Contest – Wayne, Nebraska
Every July, Wayne hosts a Chicken Show where chickens are encouraged to “fly.” While it’s less of a flight and more of a frantic flutter, this tradition has been going strong since 1981. Why chickens? Locals wanted an event as unique as their community—and few things are more unique than poultry pageantry.
3. The Hollerin’ Contest – Spivey’s Corner, North Carolina
Residents of Spivey’s Corner are keeping the nearly lost art of hollering alive. Historically, hollering was a way to communicate over long distances, but now it’s an annual competition where participants belt out melodic and ear-piercing calls. It’s part nostalgia, part local pride, and 100% loud.
4. Frozen Dead Guy Days – Nederland, Colorado
This peculiar festival celebrates a cryogenically frozen man named Bredo Morstoel, whose body has been kept on ice in Nederland since the 1990s. The event includes coffin races, polar plunges, and plenty of gallows humor. It’s the town’s way of embracing a bizarre chapter in its history.
5. Outhouse Races – Mackinaw City, Michigan
Once a necessary household feature, outhouses now race down snowy streets during Mackinaw’s winter festival. Teams push elaborately decorated outhouses on skis, bringing some levity to the long, cold season. This tradition started as a tongue-in-cheek nod to rustic living.
6. The Testicle Festival – Clinton, Montana
Known locally as “Rocky Mountain Oysters,” bull testicles take center stage at this annual feast. Festivalgoers gather to eat, drink, and celebrate rural traditions. While the idea may make some squirm, it’s a testament to the community’s ability to turn farm-to-table into something… unforgettable.
7. Rattlesnake Roundup – Sweetwater, Texas
Sweetwater hosts an annual Rattlesnake Roundup where locals hunt and showcase rattlesnakes. There are snake-handling demonstrations, a pageant, and even rattlesnake recipes. Originally started as a way to control the snake population, it’s now a bizarre yet educational event.
8. Armpit Festival – Battle Mountain, Nevada
Self-proclaimed as the “Armpit of America,” Battle Mountain decided to embrace the nickname by creating a festival celebrating… well, armpits. The event includes deodorant tosses, a “sweatiest armpit” contest, and a lot of laughs. It’s a playful way to own an unflattering label.
9. Roadkill Cook-Off – Marlinton, West Virginia
In Marlinton, chefs compete to create dishes inspired by the wild game that might (theoretically) end up as roadkill. Think stews, tacos, and chili made from venison, squirrel, or other legal meats. While it’s tongue-in-cheek, the event celebrates the resourcefulness of Appalachian cooking traditions and draws adventurous foodies from far and wide.
10. Woolly Worm Festival – Banner Elk, North Carolina
This small mountain town predicts winter weather using the stripes of woolly bear caterpillars. Legend has it that the more black bands a worm has, the harsher the winter will be. The festival includes worm races, drawing visitors curious about this fuzzy forecast.
11. Knee-High by the Fourth of July – Delano, Minnesota
This phrase might sound like farming jargon, but in Delano, it’s a corn-themed celebration. Locals measure how tall their corn is by Independence Day, turning it into a lighthearted competition that’s as much about community as it is about crops.
12. The Pancake Race – Liberal, Kansas
Every Shrove Tuesday, women don aprons, grab skillets, and race through the streets flipping pancakes. This odd custom comes from a friendly rivalry with Olney, England, where the same event is held. The town loves the chance to mix sport with syrup.
13. Canoe Jousting – Monona, Iowa
Imagine knights on horses swapped for contestants in canoes. Participants paddle toward each other, using padded sticks to knock opponents into the water. This creative twist on a medieval sport is a summer highlight for locals and a splashy good time.
14. Duck Tape Festival – Avon, Ohio
Avon, Ohio, celebrates its claim to fame as the “Duct Tape Capital of the World” with the quirky Duck Tape Festival. Sponsored by Duck Brand, the event showcases sculptures, fashion shows, and parades featuring creations made entirely from the famous adhesive. It’s a fun, sticky way to honor the town’s industrial roots while inspiring creativity and community spirit.
These traditions might seem bizarre, but they’re more than just fun and games. They’re a way for communities to celebrate their history, bring people together, and remind everyone that a little weirdness makes life a lot more interesting. Which one would you love to see in person?
