Ten of the weirdest British Festivals

You’ve heard of the likes of Glastonbury, Hey on Wye Festival and Reading and Leeds. People actually have full on breakdowns over the race for tickets and eagerly await the announcements confirming the line up, but Britain is also home to some more unusual festivals…

If you’ve never experienced a festival because you’ve yet to find one that really encompasses your interests, then read on because you’re likely to find at least one that takes your fancy in this list of Britain’s ten weirdest festivals.

Obby Oss

For those who aren’t fluent in Cornish, this is a celebration that takes place in Padstow and involves maypoles and traditional spring festivities to welcome in spring, it attracts thousands to the town every year.

Bog Snorkelling
 

If you happen to be in Wales you’ll know there are all sorts of festivals, food festivals, music festivals, celebrations of Welsh heritage and also Bog Snorkelling. The Bog Snorkelling Championships can be found in Llanwrytd Wells and is all about watching people race around in a 60-yard trench while in costume. All good fun.

Cheese Rolling

This is one of Britain’s most famous ‘odd’ festivals. For those that don’t know, every year people throw themselves down Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire chasing after a large chunk of cheese. Not many people actually manage to catch up with the cheese, so spectators are mostly cheering on those who are brave enough to take part.

Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice is one of the most anticipated days of the year for those who are a little more spiritual. On the first day of summer, thousands gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire to watch the sunrise among the historic stones.

International Festival of Worm Charming

Yes, you did read that right, there is a festival for worm charming, which is an actual art form. No, we’re not lying to you. Wormcharming takes place in Devon and once received the accolade of Europe’s most unmissable festival, so you know its good. This is a family friendly festival that encourages people to dress up and then collect as many worms as they can in fifteen minutes.

Scottish Highland Games

Basically, this is a celebration of Scottish and Celtic culture and involves music, competitive bagpipe playing and sports. All whilst wearing kilts.

Gravy wrestling

You know us Brits, we love gravy, gravy on pie, gravy on chips, gravy on roasts, gravy on… wrestlers…. The World Gravy Wrestling Championships is one of the most bizarre of Britain’s many food festivals and takes place annually in Lancashire. Attendees are encouraged to wear fancy dress and there is everything you might expect from a festival like music and food. Though hopefully the gravy isn’t recycled after the wrestlers are done with it.

Ketterwell Scarecrow Festival

While you might usually find a scarecrow or two in a field to keep birds away from crops in Yorkshire you’ll find scarecrows all over town dressed as public figures and in various costumes. Head up north every August to experience it yourself.

Great Dorset Chili Festival

Yes, an entire festival dedicated to chillis. While you would be right in thinking that the UK has some amazing food festivals, this one is not for those with weak stomachs. It has everything from chilli cook offs to chilli growing competitions and of course, a chilli-eating contest. You’ll find this one in Dorset in the summer.

World Toe Wrestling Championships

We saved the best for last! The World Toe Wrestling Championships attracts crowds from all over the globe to watch people battle with their toes in a quaint English pub. This sporting championship has gone on for years and basically is a thumb war but… with toes.

So there you go, ten of Britain’s strangest festivals, for those of you who want something a bit more unusual from your festival calendar.