Strange Bites: 10 of the weirdest food festivals in the world
La Tomatina, SpainHeld annually in Bunol, La Tomatina sees thousands pelting each other with ripe tomatoes. It’s the world’s messiest food fight, turning streets red in a wild, tomato-filled celebration.
Cheese Rolling Festival, UKIn Gloucester, participants chase a rolling wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down a steep hill. Many tumble dramatically, making it one of the most bizarre global food traditions.
Gilroy Garlic Festival, USACalifornia’s Gilroy hosts a garlic-themed celebration featuring garlic ice cream, garlic wine, and cooking contests. It honours the pungent bulb with music, parades, and culinary creativity each year.
Bugfest, USARaleigh, North Carolina’s Bugfest, encourages visitors to eat dishes prepared with edible insects, including grasshoppers, crickets, and even scorpions. It promotes sustainable protein sources through a mix of education and fun.
Noche de Rábanos, MexicoIn Oaxaca, giant radishes are carved into elaborate sculptures of saints, animals, and cultural icons. This quirky festival blends food, art, and tradition during the Christmas season festivities.
Roadkill Cook-off, USAWest Virginia hosts a strange cook-off where chefs prepare dishes inspired by roadkill cuisine. Although no real roadkill is used, recipes with venison, squirrel, and possum steal the spotlight.
Chinchilla Melon Festival, AustraliaQueensland’s Chinchilla celebrates melons with melon skiing, melon bungee, and seed-spitting contests. Participants smash, slide, and roll with fruits in this zany, family-friendly food event held biennially.
Golden Spurtle, ScotlandThis porridge-making championship in Carrbridge celebrates oats. Contestants from around the globe compete to prepare the best porridge, judged on consistency, taste, and creativity in this unusual culinary challenge.
Testicle Festival, USA
Montana’s Testicle Festival serves up deep-fried bull testicles, nicknamed “Rocky Mountain Oysters.” It’s paired with beer, live music, and outrageous competitions, drawing adventurous foodies each year.
Cooper’s Hill Pie Eating Contest, UKThis quirky event challenges participants to eat savoury pies as quickly as possible. Rooted in English humour, it’s a fast-paced, belly-filling spectacle that tests appetites and endurance.