From coffin races in Colorado to caterpillar racing in North Carolina, these festivals celebrate everything from folklore and small-town charm to the downright bizarre. If you love offbeat travel experiences, these strangest festivals in the USA should be on your bucket list.
Where – Nederland, Colorado
When – March
One of the weirdest winter festivals in America, Frozen Dead Guy Days is dedicated to Bredo Morstoel, a Norwegian man whose frozen body has been kept in a shed in Nederland, Colorado, since the 1980s. This quirky festival features coffin races, frozen T-shirt contests, polar plunges, and live music. The coffin race, where teams run with decorated coffins carrying frozen dead guys, is the festival's biggest highlight.
Why Go –
Where – Banner Elk, North Carolina
When – October
In this fun Appalachian tradition, woolly bear caterpillars known as woolly worms compete in a race to predict the upcoming winter weather. According to folklore, the color patterns on the winning caterpillar forecast how severe winter will be. The festival also features craft vendors, food stalls, and local entertainment.
Why Go –
Where – Crystal Falls, Michigan
When – August
This quirky festival honors one of the largest living organisms on Earth, a 38-acre underground fungus in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Events include a mushroom-themed parade, a fungus queen contest, food stalls, and live music. If you love mushrooms, this festival offers some of the best fungus-inspired dishes in America.
Why Go –
Where – Marlinton, West Virginia
When – September
For adventurous foodies, the Roadkill Cook-Off offers a menu unlike any other. Dishes made from venison, wild boar, and squirrel are served to thousands of visitors who are eager to taste unusual meats and game-based recipes. The festival also includes country music, crafts, and a Possum Trot five-kilometer race.
Why Go –
Where – Clinton, Montana
When – August
The Testicle Festival, also known as Testy Festy, is Montana’s most notorious food festival. This unique event is dedicated to deep-fried bull testicles, commonly known as Rocky Mountain Oysters. It features eating contests, live music, and an adults-only party atmosphere.
Why Go –
Where – Takhini Hot Springs, Yukon (Near USA-Canada Border)
When – February
Although technically in Canada, this festival attracts many visitors from the USA. Participants soak in the Takhini Hot Springs, then step into freezing air where their wet hair instantly turns into crazy ice sculptures. The most creative frozen hairstyles win prizes.
Why Go –
Where – Bridgeville, Delaware
When – November
The Punkin Chunkin Festival is all about launching pumpkins as far as possible using homemade catapults, trebuchets, and air cannons. This event started as a friendly competition and has now become a nationally recognized championship, even featured on the Discovery Channel.
Why Go –
