Introduction
Hearing more about unusual festivals and traditions is always a great idea to know more about certain country or continent’s history and cultural background. There are many unusual festivals in Europe, that you might not be familiar with. But they are worth a visit… We promise. These festivals have their own unique story and culture.
What makes these festivals unique is that they are a great way to celebrate different traditions that exist in Europe. These festivals are not just about food, music or dancing but also about the way people dress up, the traditions they carry and the customs they follow.
Top 5 Unusual Festivals in Europe
You might have heard about well-known European Festivals, like Midsommar in Sweden or Carnival in Venezia. How many times have you dreamt of going to Munich on Oktoberfest? Or how many times have you watched the videos of St. Patrick’s Days celebrations? I personally have started preparation for next year’s Oktoberfest and alongside booking my trip and accommodation, I have already become familiar with ETIAS Visa waiver program, that will be mandatory for all non-EU citizens who have visa-free travel with the EU.
But enough about the logistical stuff. How about we discuss some of Europe’s most unusual and weirdest festivals? From weird to traditional, we will provide the list of five festivals that we found to be the most bizarre.
So, let’s dive in.
The Battle of the Oranges
The Battle of the Oranges is a festival that originates from the small Italian town of San Giorgio di Nogaro, in the province of Cuneo. Celebration takes place on the last Sunday of September every year. The festivities start at noon and go until midnight, when all those who have participated in the battle are allowed to leave their oranges behind to symbolize the end of the celebrations. The Battle of the Oranges took place around 1602. Some local people were angry with King Philip III for not providing them with enough oranges and decided to take revenge by stealing his oranges during his procession through town.
Tomatina
Tomatina is a traditional festival celebrated in the town of Buñol, Spain. It is a tradition dating back to 1945. The festival involves throwing tomatoes at people and each other. The event has taken place every year since then, but it has never been officially registered as an event of cultural interest by the Spanish Ministry of Culture. Tomatina was originally celebrated with the intention to cleanse the town from all its evils, but it became more like a carnival and tourist attraction instead.
The Wife Carrying World Championships
The Wife Carrying World Championships is a competition where the goal is to carry your wife on your back over a long distance. It was first held in 1997 in Finland. However, the event has grown in popularity and now you can see Wife Carrying Championships in more than 20 countries.
The Wife Carrying World Championships are an interesting event that has become popular in recent years. Indeed, it does seem like a fun way to get involved with local culture. The weirdest part of the event is victory ceremony itself. The winner gets as much beer as the wife weighs. Crazy, isn’t it?
The Pig Imitation Festival
The Pig Imitation Festival is held in France and is a part of the celebration of Carnival. It was first held in 2001, and since then, it has become a major attraction for tourists. The festival’s objective is to imitate pigs as much as possible for one day, with people wearing costumes and taking part in games like “Piggy Race” or “Piggy Jumping Contest”.
Up Helly Aa
Up Helly Aa is an annual festival in the Shetland Islands that involves burning a replica Viking longship. The festival takes place on the last Tuesday of January and lasts for one day. Up Helly Aa is a celebration of paganism. According to popular belief originally it was a celebration of fire, light, and victory over darkness. People of Shetland Islands have been celebrating the festival every year since 1881.
Conclusion Unique European Festivals So You Can Learn More About The History
These are some of the weirdest and most unusual festival celebrations all over the Europe. However, the list of unusual festivals in Europe (and all over the world) is huge and each of them represents different approach towards life, death and spiritualism. These festivals not only represent the attitude of ancient people towards life and death, but also makes us remember what has contributed to the formation of our identity.
What we are trying to say with this is that these unusual and weird festivals are an important part of European culture and should be celebrated for their uniqueness, whether you find them strange or not. We should not be afraid of new things but celebrate them as they are a great way to learn about different cultures and traditions.
