Culture

It's A Weird World 5 Surreal Festivals Around The World

Vartika Srivastava

From local heritage to fruits, to harvests and more, festivals across the world celebrate a multitude of things. Every year these festivals draw thousands of people who experience a particular culture closely. We found some festivals which seriously redefine the word "weirdness".

International Hair Freezing Contest, Canada

This contest is one of its kind. The participants must dip their heads in the hot springs and completely wet their hair. The outside temperature is mandated to be below -20 degrees Celsius. The aim is to allow the cold air to freeze your hair and let frost and ice build-up. Once your hair is entirely white and frozen, you ring the bell and step out of the water. The contestants are recognized under five categories - Best Male, Best Female, Best Group, Nongshim's People's Choice, and Tim Horton's Most Creative. The winner in each category is awarded CAD$2,000 and receives two hot springs passes. The event happens at a resort in Canada&rsquos Takhini Hot Springs of Yukon, considered the country&rsquos backyard.

World Bodypainting Festival, Austria

The festival is a global platform for art, the largest annual event in the body painting culture. It takes place typically in July and draws participants from more than fifty different nations, and 30,000 spectators. The lineup consists of three main day attractions, with workshops run by leading artists in brush and sponge, airbrush, special effects, beauty make-up, and head dressing. The side events include Costume Ball (Body Circus), international DJ performances, and musical extravaganzas on stage. The body paint city, aka Klagenfurt, welcomes both adults and kids with various participatory events and activities. The artists compete for three days in various categories and are later awarded as a token of appreciation.

Boryeong Annual Mud Festival, South Korea

This festival takes place in July &ndash August every year at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong. People gather around to play in mud made from the mud flats of Boryeong, which is rich in minerals and has many health advantages. The festival has been a national attraction in South Korea and draws tourists every year. You can witness the entire seashore of Boryeong decorated with mud baths, and mudslides where visitors can swim and play. Various music and dance competitions are also held for entertainment, which the masses eagerly enjoy. Alongside this, the event has mud skiing, mud body painting competitions, swimming space in mud pools, and services like &ndash spa, acupuncture, and beauty treatments with Boryeong mud. At the end of two weeks, a magnificent fireworks show concludes this yearly celebration.

Underwater Music Festival, Florida

We have all heard of and attended music festivals. But have you witnessed an underwater music festival This event from Florida is a dreamy affair held annually on the Saturday after July 4th. The concert is held in Looe Key Reef, the third-largest coral reef system in the world. Waterproof speakers are used on boats floating over the reef to stream radio playlist music with nautical themes. And the event &ndash for a good cause, promotes diving responsibly and preserving coral reefs. The performances are brought to life by costumed mermaids and musicians who do brilliant dancing and impromptu guitar solos, in addition to the music.

Battle of the Oranges, Italy

Italy&rsquos biggest food attack, Battle of the Oranges, takes place in February over three days. The participants divide into nine squads, protect themselves with helmets, and body armor, and shoot oranges at each other. This battle results in the destruction of nearly 500,000 pounds of oranges. The heavy Italian oranges pave the entire street way into pulp which floats down the route. The 30 minutes fight aims to knock down the opposition, killing the other team and disqualifying them. Cuts and bruises are common injuries sustained when Italian pride comes in the name of the winner.

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