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The United States hosts some of the most famous and beloved festivals globally. From the iconic Burning Man in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to the lively Mardi Gras in New Orleans, these celebrations attract millions annually. However, the U.S. also offers a collection of quirky, lesser-known festivals that are equally entertaining and intriguing. Discover 10 of the most unusual festivals in the country to add to your travel itinerary.
10. Avon Heritage Duck Tape Festival, Ohio
Every DIY enthusiast knows that WD-40 fixes things that should move but don’t, while duct tape solves issues with things that move but shouldn’t. Each year during Father’s Day weekend, Avon, Ohio, celebrates the versatility of duct tape with a dedicated festival. Avon is home to Shurtape Technologies, the creators of Duck Tape, one of the most popular duct tape brands.
The festival features typical attractions like carnival rides and live performances, but Duck Tape takes center stage. Attendees can marvel at large-scale sculptures crafted from Duck Tape, enjoy a parade with Duck Tape-themed floats, and witness a fashion show showcasing outfits made entirely from the adhesive product. For duct tape enthusiasts, Avon is a must-visit destination. Unfortunately, a WD-40 festival doesn’t exist—yet.
9. Mike the Headless Chicken Festival, Colorado
In 1945, Lloyd Olsen beheaded a chicken intended for dinner, but the bird, later named Mike, defied expectations by surviving. Despite losing its head, Mike continued to walk around, attempting to peck at things unsuccessfully. The blade had missed the jugular vein, and a blood clot prevented fatal bleeding. Most of the brain stem, responsible for a chicken’s reflexes, remained intact. With food and water delivered via an eyedropper, Mike lived for 18 months, gaining fame as “The Headless Wonder Chicken” while touring the country.
Since 1999, Fruita, Colorado, Mike’s hometown, has honored his legacy with the annual Mike the Headless Chicken Fest in early June. While the festival includes non-chicken-themed events like a 5K race and a disc golf tournament, it also features a poultry show and a chicken wing eating competition.
8. Spam Jam, Hawaii
Spam is a polarizing meat product globally, but Hawaiians adore it. Hawaii leads the U.S. in Spam consumption per capita, with residents consuming approximately 7 million cans annually. This love for Spam is celebrated through the Spam Jam festival, dedicated entirely to the iconic canned pork product.
Every year in late April, thousands of Spam enthusiasts gather in Waikiki. The festival showcases Spam prepared in countless creative ways, from Spam corn chowder to Spam pizza. For those with a sweet tooth, options like Spam flan are available. Hormel, the maker of Spam, sends its mascots, Sir Can-A-Lot and Spammy, to the event. Additionally, the festival supports the Hawaii Food Bank by collecting monetary and food donations, with many attendees contributing cans of Spam.
7. Underwater Music Festival, Florida
For a truly unique musical experience, visit the Lower Keys in Florida, home to the Underwater Music Festival. Held at Looe Key Reef, the event, co-founded by Bill Becker, aims to foster appreciation and conservation of the coral reef. Becker notes, “The more people understand and enjoy the reef, the more likely they are to protect it.”
As divers explore the vibrant, fish-filled reef, they are serenaded by water-themed music played through underwater speakers. Tracks like The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” and Jimmy Buffett’s “Fins” create a surreal atmosphere. Divers often wear whimsical costumes and can interact with playful underwater instruments like the “baratuba” and “clambourine.”
6. Frozen Dead Guy Days, Colorado
Colorado’s Frozen Dead Guy Days Festival began in 2002 to honor Bredo Morstoel, a deceased man whose frozen body is preserved in Nederland. During the March event, attendees can enjoy unique activities like coffin races, hearse parades, and frozen T-shirt contests, all centered around themes of ice and mortality.
The tale behind the festival dates back to 1989 when Bredo passed away in Norway. His body was placed on dry ice and transported to his grandson, Trygve Bauge, in the U.S., where it was cryogenically preserved. After Trygve was deported for visa violations, the responsibility of storing Bredo’s frozen remains fell to his mother, Aud.
When local authorities discovered a corpse stored in a shed, they enacted a law prohibiting the storage of “any part of a human, animal, or biological species that is not alive on any property.” However, due to a grandfather clause, Bredo’s unique situation was exempted, allowing his preservation to continue.
Bo Shaffer, aptly nicknamed “The Iceman,” currently maintains Bredo’s frozen state using dry ice. Plans are underway to relocate Bredo’s body to The Stanley Hotel, famously known as Stephen King’s inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. The festival has also moved to Estes Park, following John Cullen, the Stanley’s owner, taking over the event.
5. Blobfest, Pennsylvania
One of the most memorable moments in the 1958 sci-fi horror film The Blob occurs when the titular creature invades the Colonial Theater, sending terrified moviegoers fleeing in chaos. Fans of the classic movie can relive this iconic scene at the annual Blobfest in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, held over three days in July. The festival’s centerpiece is a re-enactment of the theater escape at the Colonial Theater. While tickets to join the run-out sell out quickly, spectators line the streets to witness the brief but thrilling spectacle.
Beyond the run-out re-enactment, Blobfest offers a variety of themed activities. Attendees can enjoy monster movie screenings, a swing dance event called the Blob Ball, a short film competition, a street fair, and a costume contest.
4. Roadkill Cook-Off, West Virginia
Marlinton, West Virginia, hosts a unique Roadkill Cook-Off as part of its Autumn Harvest Festival. Contestants prepare dishes using meats typically associated with roadkill, competing for cash prizes, including a $1,200 award for the winner. While the ingredients aren’t usually sourced from actual roadkill, the event embraces its quirky theme.
While some dishes feature common meats like rabbit and venison, others showcase more exotic options. Adventurous eaters can sample creations such as black bear stew and iguana tacos. The menu also includes squirrel, frog, armadillo, possum, and raccoon, prepared in a variety of creative ways.
“The event is all in good fun,” says Ed Blackford, a long-time participant in the festival. “It’s a playful jab at the stereotypes other Americans have about West Virginians. Being called a redneck can be a badge of honor here. This festival is about enjoyment and boosting the local economy.”
3. Cow Chip Throw and Festival, Wisconsin
Held over Labor Day weekend, Wisconsin’s Cow Chip Throw and Festival features live music, parades, a fun run, and an arts & crafts fair. However, the highlight is the cow chip throw, where participants hurl dried cow dung under specific rules, such as no gloves allowed. Competitors are encouraged to lick their fingers for better grip. Since 1991, Greg Neumaier has held the record with an impressive throw of 248 feet (75.6 meters).
The Cow Chip Throw originated as a tribute to early pioneers who used dried cow chips for heating during harsh winters. This quirky event inspired a similar festival on the Florida-Alabama state line, where mullet fish are thrown instead of cow chips. Joe Gilchrist, owner of the Flora-Bama beach bar, created the Mullet Toss to attract visitors during the off-season, choosing mullet as it’s native to the region.
2. Burning of Zozobra, New Mexico
Every year on the Friday of Labor Day weekend, a massive 50-foot (15-meter) marionette is set ablaze in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This tradition marks the start of Fiestas de Santa Fe, with the 2023 event being the 99th celebration. Artist Will Shuster first created and burned Zozobra, initially 6 feet tall, in his garden during a private party in 1924, inspired by the Yaqui Indians’ ritual of burning an effigy of Judas.
Since its inception, the event has expanded significantly, and Zozobra, whose name translates to “anguish, anxiety, or gloom” in Spanish, has grown in size. Known as Old Man Gloom, Zozobra is one of the world’s largest functioning marionettes, with movable arms and head. Constructed from wood, wire, and cloth, it is filled with paper, including items like divorce papers and traffic tickets, symbolizing the burning of past troubles and sorrows.
1. Shrekfest, Wisconsin
Shrekfest began as a small gathering in a Madison park in 2014 but has since grown in popularity, relocating to Milwaukee in 2022. The festival features Shrek-inspired food, live music, costume contests, a roar competition, an intense onion-eating contest, and screenings of the beloved movie.
