Around the World: Five of America's Weirdest Traditional Festivals

Chandler

Arizona

At this annual bash celebrating the southern Arizona tradition of ostrich ranching

revelers can cheer on their preferred bird during a 50-minute ostrich race and then down an ostrich burger-presumably with the help of an ostrich burger. p>revelers can cheer on their preferred bird during a 50-minute ostrich Race and then down an ostrich burger-presumably one not made of the losers.

Ostrich Festival

Held in Arizona

At the annual Ostrich Carnival in southern Arizona, USA, revelers can cheer on their preferred bird during a 50-minute ostrich race and then down an ostrich burger-presumably one not made of the losing ostrich meat.

World Championship Punkin Chunkin

Bridgeville, Delaware

How far can you chunk a pumpkin? Each November

Petitors in this contest use catapults

centrifugal spinners

and other homemade contraptions to launch an eight- to ten-pound pumpkin as far as mechanically possible. mechanically possible. The record: 4

483.51 feet

The Pumpkin Throwing World Championships

are held in Bridgeville, Delaware

How far can you throw a pumpkin? Each year in November, contestants use some homemade tools, such as a large slingshot pulley, to throw pumpkins weighing 8 to 10 pounds as far as they can into the distance. The current best record is 4

483.51 feet.

Kiic Sculpture Race

Baltimore

Maryland

Is it art-or transportation? Both

It turns out

that when human-powered sculptures cross over, the pumpkin can be thrown as far as possible. When human-powered sculptures cross sea

mud

and sand in an eight-hour

15-mile race along the city's Inner Harbor

, the city will be able to take its first steps toward a more sustainable future. each May. Past award winners have included o Elvis impersonators in a car nicknamed Hunk a Hunk of Burnin' Junk.

The Kinetic Sculpture Competition

was held in Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland

Is that a work of art or a vehicle? Answer: both. Each May contestants travel about 15 miles along the city's bay, using human-powered tools to cross the ocean, mud and sand in eight hours. Last year's winners were two Elvis impersonators who drove a little car called "Handsome," which they assembled from scraps.

Frozen Dead Guy Days

Nederland

Colorado

When Grandpa Bredo Morstoel died in 1989

his cryogenically minded family packed him in dry ice and placed him in a car called "Handsome".

When Grandpa Bredo Morstoel died in 1989

his cryogenically minded family packed him in dry ice and placed him in a shed to await a cure for death.

and frozen turkey bowling.

The Festival of the Frozen Dead

is held in the small town of Nederland, Colorado

When Grandpa Bredo died in 1989, the family packed him in dry ice and placed him in a shed to await a cure for death. Bredo's grandfather died in 1989, his cryogenic family (editor's note: the Bredo family is from Norway) wrapped him in dry ice and housed him in a shed in anticipation of a way to bring him back to life at some point in the future. As a sign of respect, the party, held every March, features a hearse parade, a baby coffin race and a frozen turkey bowling tournament, among other events.

Sputnikfest

Manitowoc

Wisconsin

In September 1962

a chunk of glowing debris from Sputnik 4-one of the first Earth-orbiting satellites

launched by the Soviet Union-fell from the sky onto a street in downtown Manitowoc. Russians reclaimed the piece

but the town hosts an annual festival to memorate its arrival. Highlights: a Miss Space Debris contest In September 1962, the wreckage of Sputnik 4, one of the first artificial Earth satellites launched by the Soviet Union, crashed from space onto the streets of Manitowoc. Although the Russians later asked for the wreckage back, the town commemorates the satellite's visit every year. Attention! It's not just a contest to commemorate a fallen satellite, as participants have to wear costumes made of aluminum foil, it's a world art extravaganza.