The United Kingdom is home to some of the quirkiest and most colourful festivals in the world. From cheese rolling to bog snorkelling, there is something for everyone. Here is a guide to some of the most bizarre festivals the UK has to offer.
1. Cheese Rolling Festival – Gloucestershire
Every year, people from all over the world gather in the small village of Brockworth to chase a 7-9lb wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down a steep hill. The first person to reach the bottom wins the cheese, as well as a feeling of triumph.
2. Bog Snorkelling Championship – Powys, Wales
Bog snorkelling involves swimming through a 60-yard bog trench filled with sludge. This sport, which originated in Wales, is not for the faint-hearted. The annual championship takes place in August, attracting participants from all over the world.
3. World Gurning Championship – Cumbria
Gurning is the art of distorting the face into a terrifying mask. The World Gurning Championship, held in the village of Egremont, Cumbria, sees people competing to pull the most grotesque faces possible.
4. International Festival of Worm Charming – Cheshire
This annual festival involves trying to attract as many worms as possible to the surface in a 3m x 3m plot in 30 minutes. The winner is the person who manages to coax the most worms out of the ground.
5. Bonfire Night – Lewes, East Sussex
Bonfire Night is a celebration of the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The town of Lewes puts on a spectacular show including torch-lit processions, flaming tar barrels, and fireworks.
6. The World Snail Racing Championship – Norfolk
This rather slow-paced competition has been running since the 1960s and involves placing snails in the centre of a circle and hoping they cross a finish line. The winner receives a lettuce leaf (the humble vegetable is their favourite food).
The UK is a country that prides itself on its weird and wacky traditions, and these festivals are no exception. So put on your competitive hat, and enjoy a day of revelry at some of the UK’s quirkiest festivals.
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