Unearth The Voyage
Every year, people around the globe gather to celebrate the strangest, wildest, and most wonderfully bizarre traditions you can imagine. From throwing fruit at each other to racing down hills after cheese, these festivals show just how creative and playful humans can be.
Whether you love adventure, culture, or just pure chaos, these 14 offbeat events happening in 2026 will make you want to pack your bags and join the fun.
1. Up Helly Aa (Viking Torch Parade + Longship Burning)
Hundreds of people dressed as Vikings, marching through the dark with blazing torches, then setting a massive replica longship on fire is Up Helly Aa in a nutshell. Held every last Tuesday in January, this Shetland tradition honors the island’s Norse heritage with theatrical flair and serious pyrotechnics.
The 2026 event falls on January 27, and locals spend months preparing costumes, songs, and the galley itself. Visitors brave the winter cold for an unforgettable spectacle of flame, music, and community spirit.
2. Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival
Harbin transforms into a frozen wonderland every winter, featuring towering sculptures lit from within by colored LEDs. Buildings, castles, and mythical creatures rise from blocks of ice harvested from the nearby Songhua River.
The official opening ceremony kicks off January 5, 2026, but exhibits usually last well into February. Bundle up in serious winter gear because temperatures regularly plunge below zero, making this one of the coldest festivals on Earth.
3. Battle of the Oranges (Historic Carnival of Ivrea)
Forget snowball fights. In Ivrea, teams battle with oranges in a historic food fight that dates back centuries.
The tradition symbolizes a rebellion against tyranny, with different squads representing nobles and commoners. Streets turn into slippery, citrus-scented battlegrounds as thousands of oranges fly through the air.
Carnival Sunday lands on February 15, 2026, and the orange war rages through Shrove Tuesday. Wear protective gear or risk getting pelted, because participants take this wonderfully messy tradition very seriously.
4. Saidaiji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri (Nearly-Naked Lucky Stick Scramble)
Thousands of men wearing only loincloths crowd into a freezing temple in the dead of winter, competing to catch sacred wooden sticks tossed by priests. The lucky few who grab them are believed to gain a year of happiness and good fortune.
It’s chaotic, intense, and one of Japan’s most photographed festivals.
The 2026 event happens on Saturday, February 21. Spectators watch from safe distances as the nearly-naked participants jostle, shove, and scramble in what looks like organized mayhem but is actually a deeply spiritual tradition.
5. Holi (Festival of Colors)
Holi turns entire cities into rainbow explosions. People throw handfuls of vibrant colored powder at friends, family, and total strangers, while music, dancing, and laughter fill the streets.
The festival celebrates the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil, but mostly it’s just pure, joyful chaos.
Holika Dahan bonfires light up the night on March 3, 2026, followed by Rangwali Holi on March 4. Wear white clothes you don’t mind ruining, and prepare to be covered head-to-toe in every color imaginable.
6. Kanamara Matsuri
Yes, giant phallic shrines parade through the streets of Kawasaki every spring. This fertility festival celebrates an ancient legend and raises money for HIV research, mixing reverence with humor in a way only Japan can pull off.
Vendors sell anatomically themed candy, and the whole event feels surprisingly family-friendly despite the subject matter.
Mark April 5, 2026, on your calendar if you want to witness this one-of-a-kind celebration. Locals and tourists alike embrace the playful atmosphere, snapping photos with the enormous floats and enjoying the festival’s unique blend of tradition and fun.
7. Songkran (Thai New Year Water Festival)
Songkran starts with temple visits and respectful water blessings, then quickly escalates into the world’s biggest water fight. Armed with buckets, hoses, and super soakers, people drench everyone they see in a three-day celebration of renewal and fun.
Streets become rivers, and nobody stays dry for long.
The main festivities run April 13 to 15, 2026, though some regions stretch it longer. Protect your electronics in waterproof bags, dress in quick-dry clothes, and surrender to the inevitable soaking.
Resistance is futile and honestly not recommended.
8. Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling
A wheel of cheese gets a head start down a ridiculously steep hill, and dozens of brave souls chase after it, mostly by tumbling, rolling, and occasionally running. Winning means catching the cheese, though most participants are happy just to reach the bottom without serious injury.
Ambulances stand ready, because this tradition is as dangerous as it is hilarious.
The 2026 race happens on May 25, coinciding with the UK Spring Bank Holiday. Spectators line the hillside to watch the spectacular wipeouts and cheer on the fearless cheese-chasers.
9. Wife-Carrying World Championship
Competitors race through an obstacle course while carrying their partner, using techniques like piggyback, fireman’s carry, or the famous Estonian-style upside-down hold. The course includes water hazards, hurdles, and sand traps that test strength, speed, and teamwork.
Winners receive their partner’s weight in beer, making victory literally and figuratively sweet.
Finland hosts this quirky championship on July 3 and 4, 2026. Despite the traditional name, any couple can compete, and the event attracts teams from around the world eager to prove their carrying prowess and sense of humor.
10. Boryeong Mud Festival
Mineral-rich mud from Boryeong’s tidal flats gets trucked to Daecheon Beach, where millions of visitors slide, wrestle, and play in specially designed mud zones. The festival started as a marketing campaign for cosmetics but evolved into a massive beach party featuring mud prisons, mud slides, and mud everything.
Skin benefits are a bonus; the real draw is uninhibited messy fun.
Official 2026 dates aren’t posted yet, but expect late July or early August. Check the festival website closer to summer, then pack clothes you can afford to trash completely.
11. La Tomatina (Giant Tomato Fight)
For exactly one hour, the streets of Buñol become a river of crushed tomatoes as trucks dump tons of overripe fruit and thousands of people hurl them at each other. The rules are simple: squash the tomato before throwing, and stop when the signal sounds.
What remains is a town painted entirely red and participants grinning from ear to ear.
August 26, 2026, marks the next tomato battle, falling on the last Wednesday of the month as always. Wear goggles to protect your eyes and old shoes with good grip, because the tomato-slicked streets get incredibly slippery.
12. World Bog Snorkelling Championships
Competitors wearing snorkels and flippers race through a trench cut into a peat bog, forbidden from using normal swimming strokes. The murky water hides everything, making navigation a challenge, while the cold Welsh weather adds to the difficulty.
It’s bizarre, uncomfortable, and absolutely hilarious to watch.
Sunday, August 30, 2026, brings the next round of bog snorkelling madness to Llanwrtyd Wells. Participants emerge covered in brown peat water, looking like swamp creatures but feeling accomplished.
Spectators get the better deal, staying dry while enjoying one of the world’s strangest athletic competitions.
13. Lopburi Monkey Buffet Festival
Tables piled high with fruit, vegetables, and treats are laid out for Lopburi’s famous macaque population in an annual feast that’s both generous and photogenic. Hundreds of monkeys descend on the spread, creating a chaotic feeding frenzy that delights photographers and tourists.
The tradition honors the animals considered sacred in local culture.
Typically held in late November, the 2026 event doesn’t have confirmed dates yet. Recent years have seen monkey-management challenges in Lopburi, so check local updates before planning your visit to ensure the festival happens as expected and to understand any format changes.
14. Night of the Radishes (Noche de Rábanos)
Artists in Oaxaca spend hours carving oversized radishes into elaborate nativity scenes, historical figures, and fantastical creatures, knowing their creations will wilt and decay within a day. The urgency makes the festival feel magical and fleeting.
Thousands crowd the zócalo to admire the intricate vegetable sculptures before they’re gone forever.
December 23, 2026, marks the next Night of the Radishes, held annually on the same date. Arrive early for the best views, because the detailed carvings are stunning but temporary.
The event captures Oaxacan creativity and the beauty of impermanence in one quirky tradition.
