13 of the Most Weird and Unusual Festivals in the U.S.

Over the years of researching destinations around the United States, I’ve come across weird festivals and unusual events that have struck me as humorous and often charming. Plus, it’s fun to see local lore and small-town charm celebrated. Some events highlight cryptids like Bigfoot and Mothman or bizarre local happenings that turned into town lore. Some stave off the winter blues, while others are just silly. They're cute, sometimes macabre or somewhere in between. One thing is for sure: If your humor is anything like mine, you’ll enjoy reading about these strange events and consider traveling to at least a few of these to get the full experience.

Location: Grand Haven, Michigan

Month: January

Where to stay:

Wake up on a Saturday and watch children and adults race their cardboard sleds downhill. Cardboard sleds range in size from one person to up to ten people. They can look like cars, ships, food or just about anything; there seems to be no end to the racers' imaginations. Some make it down the hill, and some fall apart before the finish line. The races are entertaining and are sure to make spectators laugh on a cold snowy day.

Prizes include Top O’ the Hill Award for the most attractive sled, the Vogue Award for the most detailed sled, the Spirit Award for the most spirited or best-organized team and Go Fast Awards for the fastest finishers in each class.

Courtesy of Frozen Dead Guys Days

Location: Estes Park, Colorado

Month: March

Where to stay:

The origins of this bizarre festival start in 1989 in Norway when "Grandpa" Bredo Morstoel died. Family members promptly had him frozen, packed with dry ice and shipped to California to be stored in a cryogenics facility in the hopes that he could be brought back to life in the future. After a few years in California, his grandson, an immigrant to the U.S., shipped Morstoel to Nederland, Colorado, where he was building a home. Unfortunately for the grandson, his visa expired, and he was deported in 1994. Morstoel’s daughter then took over taking care of the frozen body. Unfortunately, she and the grandson had failed to pull permits or have the house inspected. She was facing eviction, and desperate to care for her frozen father, the daughter reached out to a local reporter.

The reporter told the city council, who initially were dismayed to hear that a frozen body was stored in a shed on the property. But as the news spread and Morstoel’s grandson mounted a campaign from Norway to keep his grandfather in his current frozen state, the city officials began to understand that this unusual situation was not malicious or otherwise indicative of a crime.

A few years after these events, Morstoel’s body was still being kept frozen in a shed in Nederland, and in 2002, residents began Frozen Dead Guy Days, a macabre but good-spirited event that capitalized on this local story. Over time, the festival grew and became too large for the small town of Nederland, attracting 20,000 visitors at one point. The strange event was later moved to Estes Park, about 65 miles from Denver, and is now owned and run by the owner of the Stanley Hotel (you know, the haunted place from “The Shining”).

Eventgoers can watch coffin races where pallbearers run across a track carrying decorated and themed coffins, see decorated hearses, watch stilt walkers and sideshow acts, attend concerts and eat their heart’s desire of fair food. Frozen Dead Guy Days also features a polar plunge, a bellyflop competition, the Royal Blue Ball and the Frostbite Fashion Show.

Danitza Ladwig / Orange CShow Art Car Parade

Location: Houston, Texas

Month: April

Where to stay:

The Art Car Parade can trace its origins back to the 1980s and has grown to more than 250 parade entries and 200,000 to 300,000 spectators. It is now the biggest free event in Houston.

So what — you may wonder — is an art car? They are cars that are modified, built, painted or otherwise decorated in any way that makes the car exterior unique and not look like a car driven off a dealer’s lot.

The art cars in the parade range from the cute and beautiful to the truly bizarre. Past parade entries include cars in the shape of a banana and a shoe. Cars are decorated in themes such as space, animals, monsters, movies and pop culture, with some even resembling Mad Max-esque hot rods. Anyone can make an art car and apply for entry in the parade. Local school groups participate, and artists from around the world come to show off their designs.

iStockphoto.com / Karyna Demianiuk

Location: Huntington Beach, California

Month: Biannually in April and October

Where to stay:

Corgi Beach Day is hands down the most adorable event on this list, and Corgi lovers will be delighted to see thousands of corgis and their loving owners descend on Huntington Beach, only 40 miles south of Los Angeles and 20 miles from Anaheim. Whether you have a corgi of your own, loved Queen Elizabeth II’s pack of short-legged puppers or remember Ein from the anime series “Cowboy Bebop,” you are welcome at Corgi Beach Day. Organizers even note on the event website that non-corgi breeds are welcome, too.

The day includes food trucks, vendors, contests and giveaways. Bring a reusable tote bag with you; many vendors give out samples and swag. Vendors also sell an assortment of corgi-related gifts, accessories, art, toys and treats that will bring joy to you and your corgi companion.

If you bring your dog with you, have a tag with your contact info on your furry friend's collar and dress them up in some special attire (bow tie, hat, shirt or whatever article of clothing your dog is comfortable with) to make them distinguishable from the many other corgis playing on the seashore. Most events and contests are free to participate, but some may have a fee. Plan ahead and sign up early to avoid waiting in long lines.

iStockphoto.com / Gwengoat

Location: Roswell, New Mexico

Month: July

Where to stay:

Every year in Roswell, the UFO Festival commemorates the Roswell Incident of 1947. Some residents are said to have seen a UFO and what they believed to be alien bodies that were later recovered by the military. The U.S. Air Force released a report in 1994 saying the UFO, or UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena) as they are now called by the U.S. military, was indeed a high-altitude research balloon, not a spaceship, and the “aliens” weren’t aliens at all but rather test dummies. While some people accept this explanation, others continue to believe the UFO was of extraterrestrial origins. Whether or not you believe aliens have visited Roswell or Earth at all, the UFO Festival is a fun time for everyone.

Entertainment stages feature bands, fire dancers, aerialists and drone light shows. Over at the convention center, enthusiasts can participate in Galicticon where a vendor hall features sci-fi and fantasy art, jewelry, crafts and more and a kids' zone for children to play in themed areas that include bounce houses and other fun activities. Adults may do the Alien Crawl, a self-guided tour of local restaurants serving alien-themed cocktails for purchase, while all ages are welcome to enjoy the pet costume contest. The Robert H. Goddard Planetarium features laser shows set to music from bands like the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd, and the International UFO Museum Research Center hosts lectures from UFO researchers.

iStockphoto.com / petrenkod

Location: Lower Keys, Florida

Month: July

Where to stay:

This unusual event, near Key West, started in 1984. It's sponsored by the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce, and its purpose is to bring awareness to the coral and promote conservation. The event takes place over two days. On the first day, the folks at Mote’s Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration host tours of the facility and teach visitors about the reef restoration efforts in the Florida Keys.

On the second day, festivalgoers head out on their boats or with a local dive shop to spend four hours listening to music underwater. The music is played through underwater speakers, and you’ll hear a mix of songs that likely include “Yellow Submarine” and songs from “The Little Mermaid.” People dressed as mermaids mime playing fantastical instruments that look like fish and other aquatic creatures. Many of the spectators wear costumes and bring instruments of their own. In addition to seeing the mermaids and fellow costumed attendees, divers and snorkelers can spot tropical fish and admire the coral. If you are in the area and unable to attend the festival, the soundtrack is broadcast live on the local radio station 104.1 FM.

John Sacco / WNC Bigfoot Festival

Location: Marion, North Carolina

Month: August

Where to stay:

Despite Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, being more known as an alleged resident of the Pacific Northwest, there have been reported sightings all over the U.S., including the American South and British Columbia. The WNC Bigfoot Festival in Marion, North Carolina, (about 35 miles east of Asheville) started in 2018 after several purported sightings of Bigfoot in western North Carolina. The festival was a smash from the start and is estimated to attract 40,000 visitors annually.

Sasquatch enthusiasts and hunters give lectures, folks participate in a Bigfoot calling contest, and everyone can enjoy the street festival. Vendors sell Bigfoot-themed art, crafts, T-shirts and souvenirs. Children can enjoy a kids’ zone with activities like bounce houses. Some people even dress up in Bigfoot costumes, roaming the festival grounds and taking pictures with passersby. With plenty of fun things to do, skeptics and believers alike can enjoy this festival.

iStockphoto.com / halfpoint

Location: Twinsburg, Ohio

Month: August

Where to stay:

Located in Twinsburg, Ohio, about 25 miles from Cleveland, the Twins Days Festival is an event that celebrates twins and other sets of multiples (like triplets). The festival attracts twins from around the world and is the largest annual gathering of twins, according to the Guinness World Records. Everyone, twin or not, may attend, but twins are encouraged to register in order to participate in events. There is a Double Take Parade, volleyball and cornhole tournaments, a group photo and a fireworks show. There’s also a research area where people like behavioral scientists, universities and manufacturing company representatives come to conduct research. Participation is completely optional, but twins and multiples may choose to engage in activities that range from having a photo taken to providing a DNA sample, often in exchange for a gift bag or money.

Every year the festival has a theme. Past themes include Shiver Me Twinbers, The Roaring Twinties, Two-Player Mode, and Twinfinity and Beyond. There are contests for twins who are most alike and least alike, as well as twins with the best-themed outfit/costume. Participants range from babies to adults — some having come to the festival annually for most of their lives.

Courtesy of West Virginia Department of Tourism

Location: Point Pleasant, West Virginia

Month: September

Where to stay:

The Mothman is said to be a cryptid (a creature whose existence is unproven) that allegedly was first spotted in 1966 in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, by a group in a car. Frightened by the sight of the six- to seven-foot-tall winged creature with large red eyes, they sped off. The Mothman took flight and followed.

The story spread and became a local news event. Some people were whipped into a frenzy and went out to hunt this menacing creature, and they reported more sightings. However, the last sighting in Point Pleasant was in 1967, shortly before the Silver Bridge collapsed, a catastrophic event in the town’s history that led to the death of 46 individuals. Some people attribute the bridge collapse to the Mothman and believe a Mothman sighting foretells an oncoming tragic event.

The legend is now woven into the history of Point Pleasant, and a shiny 12-foot-tall statue of Mothman stands downtown. The Mothman Museum is sure to delight visitors interested in the peculiar story. Nowadays, the town celebrates the legend of Mothman annually during the Mothman Festival. The event attracts around 15,000 people and features vendors selling crafts, art and other Mothman-themed merchandise, as well as other cryptid and paranormal themes. Food trucks and carts sell Mothman-themed foods and sweet treats.

Festival attendance is free, but some activities cost, including hayrides and TNT bus tours that visit the old West Virginia Ordnance Works facility. The festival organizers suggest bringing cash since not all vendors accept credit cards, and those who do may be unable to, depending on the quality of the internet.

Courtesy of North American Wife Carrying Championship

Location: Newry, Maine

Month: October

Where to stay:

This event — requiring teams of two — started in Finland, and in fact, the winners of Maine's race may compete in the World Championship in Finland. One runner carries their teammate across a 278-yard course traversing two dry obstacles and one water obstacle along the way. Team members don't actually have to be married. They don't even have to be a couple, and same-sex teams are also allowed to participate. The only rule that appears to be enforced about the makeup of teams is that both teammates must be at least 21 years old.

Spectators line the course cheering and encouraging the duos running through the obstacles at the Sunday River Resort, where the races take place. After all the hilarity and competition, the winning team gets the carried person's weight in beer and five times that person's weight in cash — a suitably amusing prize for this weird event.

Courtesy of Virginia City Tourism Commission

Location: Virginia City, Nevada

Month: October

Where to stay:

Happening every October for over 30 years, the World Championship Outhouse Races in Virginia City invite laughter during the event's afternoon races. Local lore says the races started in remembrance of the angry residents who brought their outhouses into town after outdoor plumbing was outlawed. (I wasn't able to verify if this was true or only a local legend.)

Either way, once a year, teams of three (two runners and one driver) race their decorated outhouses down C Street, inducing laughter and cheers from the onlooking crowds. Each team decorates their outhouse in a theme of their choice, including puns, pop culture references and nods to local history. Spectators line up behind orange barricades to watch and cheer their favorite teams. The event happens downtown, so if you attend, you can visit the shops and restaurants. The races are a big draw for people in the area (about 30 miles from Reno and 45 miles from South Lake Tahoe) and are only one of the big events that the folks in Virginia City celebrate annually.

Wikimedia Commons / Paul VanDerWerf / CC BY 2.0

Location: Damariscotta, Maine

Month: October

Where to stay:

Head to Damariscotta, Maine, (about 55 miles from Portland) in mid-October for the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta. On the weekend before, growers bring their massive pumpkins for weigh-in and judging. After weigh-in, regatta captains and artists can get the giant pumpkins and paint them, carve them or turn them into a boat.

Pumpkins are on display throughout the festival that includes a pumpkin soapbox derby for kids, a pumpkin drop and a parade. The most popular event at the festival though is the regatta where costumed participants paddle or outfit their hollowed out pumpkin boats with an outboard motor. They race trying to get the best times while keeping their topsy-turvy pumpkins from capsizing.

Getty Images / timnewman

Location: Houma, Louisiana

Month: October

Where to stay:

The Rougarou Festival takes place in the Southern Louisiana town of Houma about 60 miles southwest of New Orleans. The October festival is a little spooky with the namesake creature Rougarou, a myth brought over by the French colonists who settled in the region. The Rougarou is a dark fairytale-like creature with the head of a wolf on the body of a man, and it hunts misbehaving children.

The festival celebrates Southern Louisiana culture with performances and demonstrations. You’ll also find themed kids’ games like “pin the tail on the Rougarou” and “cypress knee ring toss” in addition to the carnival midway with all the expected rides and games.

A festival highlight is the evening parade when troupes of zombies, witches and other spooky creatures perform and entertain, and giant puppets walk the parade route to the delight of spectators.

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