Buzz
We've explored many weird festivals over time, but we've yet to focus on the ones that have an unsettlingly violent edge. Here, we present the top 10 bizarre and intriguing celebrations where pain is at the heart of the festivities.
10. Entroido Carnival, Spain
The Entroido Carnival, held in Laza, Spain, spans three days. On day one, men wear terrifying wooden masks and march through the streets, armed with whips. These participants symbolize the Galician tax collectors from the 16th century. If you happen to be in their way, you’re bound to get whipped.
Monday is the festival's most intense day, centered around a practice known as farrapada (or “ragging”). On this day, muddy rags are hurled at anyone with a pulse.
The day's most dreaded participants are those carrying sacks. In the lead-up to the event, they collect anthills and stuff them into their bags. After pouring vinegar over the ants, making them extra aggressive, they chase down fellow revelers, who now regret their choice to bring along muddy rags to a battle of angry ants.
The festivities wind down on Tuesday with a satirical poem called the 'testament of the donkey.' This poem ridicules Laza's residents for their mistakes throughout the year, and each person is given a section of donkey meat in hopes of helping them avoid repeating their errors.
9. Cotswold Olimpick Shin-Kicking, England
The annual Cotswold Olimpick Games feature a range of events, many as old-fashioned as the peculiar spelling of “Olympic.” You might recognize events like tug-of-war and Morris dancing, or the more straightforward piano smashing. But the highlight of the festival—and its most brutal competition—is the shin-kicking championship.
The matches are one-on-one duels where competitors place their hands on each other’s shoulders and wrestle for position. The goal? To deliver a series of kicks to their opponent’s shins. The fight concludes when one of them can’t endure any longer. At that point, the word “sufficient” is all that’s needed—essentially the British equivalent of saying, “Please, make it stop.”
The Cotswold Olimpick Games are said to have begun in 1622. Back in the day, the competition could get pretty gruesome. It's thought that iron-tipped boots were commonly worn, and participants would condition their shinbones by hammering them throughout the year.
These days, things have gotten a bit more refined. No iron-tipped boots allowed, and competitors now stuff straw into their trouser legs for added protection. They also don shepherds' smocks, which resemble lab coats, making the entire event feel like a nerdy debate over which Star Trek series reigns supreme.
8. Agni Keli, India
In Mangalore, India, devoted Hindus gather to honor the goddess Durga by throwing burning palm leaves at one another. The participants begin by immersing themselves in the local river for a communal and spiritually cleansing ritual. Then, it’s time for a fiery version of dodgeball.
The participants split into two teams, each launching palm-woven torches at their opponents. The more people are struck, the more it pleases Durga.
Though each participant is officially limited to five throws, the fiery showdown typically lasts about 15 minutes. This means that torches are reused frequently, suggesting that Durga is a relaxed goddess when it comes to rules. Still, referees are present to ensure that things don’t get too out of hand… or too fiery for comfort.
Once the 15 minutes are up, the participants head toward the Kateel Durgaparameshwari Temple for one final fiery skirmish, before they douse their wounds with holy water.
7. Rouketopolemos (The Rocket War), Greece
Easter night in Vrontados, Greece, is far from serene. For centuries, two rival churches (Saint Mark and Panagia Erithiani) have battled for supremacy. Every year, they try to settle the score by firing fireworks at each other's bell towers. The church whose bell is struck first is declared the loser.
As for the winner? They get to boast, but ultimately, it’s just an excuse to shoot fireworks at church bells. There’s no official method for recording the hits, so both churches claim victory every year.
Not everyone is thrilled about the event. Surrounding buildings must be shielded with metal sheets to prevent major damage. Fires frequently break out, and the worst incidents have even resulted in fatalities.
In 2016, the event was called off due to safety concerns. A local resident was quoted as saying, “Many people complain about the damage caused by the rocket war every year. But those people aren’t many—only about 20, I think. I hope... this tradition will continue.”
6. The Battle of the Oranges, Italy
The origins of Ivrea's annual Battle of the Oranges in Italy remain shrouded in mystery. The legend says that around the 12th century, the city was ruled by a cruel marquis. Power-hungry, he tried to assault a local miller’s daughter, who fought back by decapitating him. This sparked a revolt that led to the burning of the palace.
The festival reenacts this uprising, but instead of stones and other projectiles used against the marquis's soldiers, the battle is now fought entirely with oranges.
Crates of oranges are piled up in the streets, ready for anyone eager to join the festivities. All that’s left is to wait for the marquis’s men to come by, guided by horses that appear surprisingly calm (though no doubt terrified). While the soldiers will throw some oranges back, the biggest risk you’ll face is being hit by one from your own side, as fruit is tossed back and forth across the crowd.
If you’ve ever been hit by an orange, you know just how much damage it can do. Last year alone, at least 70 people required treatment for injuries.
5. Bolas De Fuego, El Salvador
In 1658, the volcanic eruption of El Playon devastated the town of Nixapa in El Salvador. The survivors relocated to what is now Nejapa, and every year on August 31, they hold the Bolas de Fuego festival in remembrance of this tragedy.
The name of the event, 'Bolas de Fuego,' translates to 'Balls of Fire,' and it’s not an exaggeration. In the three months leading up to the festival, participants craft over 1,500 kerosene-soaked cotton balls, each about the size of an apple. They’re wrapped in wire to maintain their shape and ensure they really pack a punch when thrown.
Tourists, wide-eyed and hiding behind their cameras, watch in awe as the fireballs soar through the night sky. Many participants also paint their faces with fierce designs—just in case the flaming projectiles weren't enough to raise your pulse.
Although the footage from this two-hour battle looks intense (and the fireballs often stray into the crowd), surprisingly few serious injuries occur.
4. Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri (Festival of Naked Fighting Men), Japan
Hadaka Matsuri roughly translates to 'Naked Festival.' While many similar events have popped up across Japan, none is more renowned than the Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri. This festival is held every year at Saidaiji Temple in Okayama.
Technically, participants aren’t fully naked. The 9,000 exclusively male contenders all don loincloths—similar to those worn by sumo wrestlers. From a raised window, a priest tosses around 100 sacred sticks into the crowd. It’s believed that anyone who manages to thrust a stick into a rice-filled box called a masu will be blessed with good fortune.
It’s not a simple feat, though, because the person who catches the stick must then wrestle their way through a mob of nearly naked men to safely post the stick. Honestly, winning this game is more about luck than skill. In fact, some participants have been terribly unlucky, as they've been crushed to death on the temple floor during the struggle.
3. The Abare Festival, Japan
Also known as the Fire and Violence Festival, the Abare Festival takes place on the first Friday and Saturday of July. The wild rituals are mostly fueled by sake, and participants are encouraged to stir up chaos, as it is believed this will appease Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the Shinto god of sea and storms.
On Friday evening, a lantern parade makes its way through the village of Ushitsu, Japan, ending at the pier. Upon arrival, the lantern bearers are greeted by towering fires suspended atop poles. As the flames burn, their glowing embers float down like snowflakes. Men and boys dance beneath the flames, playing drums, bells, and flutes. Nothing quite compares to the chaotic sound of the flute.
On the second night, attention shifts to the destruction of two portable shrines as participants march toward the stationary Yasaka Shrine. The portable shrines are tossed into roads and rivers, enduring their own share of fire. What remains is placed in front of the Yasaka Shrine and repeatedly smashed with flaming torches for hours to gain spiritual favor.
2. Takanakuy, Peru
Takanakuy roughly translates to “when the blood is boiling.” This event occurs on Christmas Day in the Chumbivilcas Province of Peru. During the celebration, five traditional characters are portrayed, including Negro, who represents a slave master from Peru’s colonial era, dancing in circles like a rooster.
These rituals build up to the highlight of the event—the fighting. The small province of Chumbivilcas, with a population of around 300, witnesses its largest influx of visitors during this time. Over 3,000 people gather to witness the spectacle of face-punching.
Year-long feuds are resolved here, and anyone can join in the fray. While women and children are known to participate, the majority are men. Fighters wrap their fists in cloths, and the match concludes when one is knocked out or when the referee steps in. Referees carry whips to ensure the fighters and spectators don’t get out of control.
1. Festa De Sao Joao Do Porto, Portugal
The official English name of the festival is the Festival of St. John of Porto. Held annually on June 23, this celebration draws thousands to the heart of the Portuguese city. The timing likely ties back to its pagan origins, coinciding with the harvest season when many would gather leeks and garlic.
Leeks were historically seen as symbols of fertility, partly due to their somewhat phallic shape. Tradition dictates that people would use these leeks to strike the heads of their loved ones in hopes of enhancing their sexual vitality.
By the 20th century, tired of the annual bruises, the locals switched to using plastic hammers instead of leeks. The plastic hammers emit a comical whistling sound when they make contact and are much less painful.
Garlic continues to play a significant role in the festivities. Participants may thrust cloves of garlic toward others’ faces as a quirky way to show affection. But be warned—this is a Porto-only custom. Elsewhere, it could lead to a far less pleasant reaction than a playful tap to the head.
