Have you ever squeezed your eyebrows on looking at snaps online where people in thousands are covering others in mud and mire and the one getting dirty are laughing and celebrating? Maybe you just saw one of the 10 festivals I am going to review as being extensively sloppy and dirty, and yet, fun..Because don't forget, they are festivals!
Boryeong Mud Festival, South Korea
An annual festival started in 1998 in Boryeong, a scenic town 200 km south of Seoul, South Korea. It's popularity can be estimated by the fact that by 2007 the festival attracted 2.2 million visitors.The festival celebrates the benefits of mud cosmetics,as the mud near it's shores is rich in minerals and used in cosmetics. The festival, originally conceived as a marketing vehicle
for Boryeong mud cosmetics, has brought the town to the world center-stage. Although the festival takes place over a period of around two weeks,
it is most famous for its final weekend, which is popular with Korea's
western population, which sings and dances to bring real festive feel, making it one of the biggest festivals of South Korea.
I would personally rate this one is the "strangest" of all because throwing dead rats at someone cannot be considered as a festival for me, though the locals at El Puig, Spain, would definitely not stand by me on this. Every last Sunday of January, people throw cucañas (a kind of local piñada) filled with (frozen) dead rats. The festival has a history behind it where in the old times, cucañas filled with fruits and nuts were thrown at each other, but as these cookies attracted the rats, a year came when someone found a rat indie the cucaña and threw it, which accidentally fell at somebody and hence is weird practice of throwing cucañas filled with dead rats.
At
the Wasserschlacht in Berlin, Germany, two battling districts
(Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg) meet on the Oberbaumbrucke Bridge and
what starts as a massive water fight soon becomes a free for all where
eggs, flour, water bombs, fruit etc being thrown, and foam-rubber clubs
used to try and push the opposing side back to their side of the bridge.
The event can get very messy with rotten food and even dirty nappies
being used as missiles. And it has been known to get out of hand, with
vehicles and buildings set alight!
The festival is usually on the last Sunday of July but this isn’t set
in stone and its difficult to find information on exact dates. It has
been known to be cancelled by the organisers over fears that the vast
number of participants may be too much for the bridge.
- See more at: http://www.somewhereintheworldtoday.com/festivals/wasserschlacht-festival/#sthash.NHfPJdvg.dpuf
At
the Wasserschlacht in Berlin, Germany, two battling districts
(Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg) meet on the Oberbaumbrucke Bridge and
what starts as a massive water fight soon becomes a free for all where
eggs, flour, water bombs, fruit etc being thrown, and foam-rubber clubs
used to try and push the opposing side back to their side of the bridge.
The event can get very messy with rotten food and even dirty nappies
being used as missiles. And it has been known to get out of hand, with
vehicles and buildings set alight!
The festival is usually on the last Sunday of July but this isn’t set
in stone and its difficult to find information on exact dates. It has
been known to be cancelled by the organisers over fears that the vast
number of participants may be too much for the bridge.
- See more at: http://www.somewhereintheworldtoday.com/festivals/wasserschlacht-festival/#sthash.NHfPJdvg.dpuf
At
the Wasserschlacht in Berlin, Germany, two battling districts
(Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg) meet on the Oberbaumbrucke Bridge and
what starts as a massive water fight soon becomes a free for all where
eggs, flour, water bombs, fruit etc being thrown, and foam-rubber clubs
used to try and push the opposing side back to their side of the bridge.
The event can get very messy with rotten food and even dirty nappies
being used as missiles. And it has been known to get out of hand, with
vehicles and buildings set alight!
The festival is usually on the last Sunday of July but this isn’t set
in stone and its difficult to find information on exact dates. It has
been known to be cancelled by the organisers over fears that the vast
number of participants may be too much for the bridge.
- See more at: http://www.somewhereintheworldtoday.com/festivals/wasserschlacht-festival/#sthash.NHfPJdvg.dpuf
At
the Wasserschlacht in Berlin, Germany, two battling districts
(Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg) meet on the Oberbaumbrucke Bridge and
what starts as a massive water fight soon becomes a free for all where
eggs, flour, water bombs, fruit etc being thrown, and foam-rubber clubs
used to try and push the opposing side back to their side of the bridge.
The event can get very messy with rotten food and even dirty nappies
being used as missiles. And it has been known to get out of hand, with
vehicles and buildings set alight!
The festival is usually on the last Sunday of July but this isn’t set
in stone and its difficult to find information on exact dates. It has
been known to be cancelled by the organisers over fears that the vast
number of participants may be too much for the bridge.
- See more at: http://www.somewhereintheworldtoday.com/festivals/wasserschlacht-festival/#sthash.NHfPJdvg.dpuf
At
the Wasserschlacht in Berlin, Germany, two battling districts
(Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg) meet on the Oberbaumbrucke Bridge and
what starts as a massive water fight soon becomes a free for all where
eggs, flour, water bombs, fruit etc being thrown, and foam-rubber clubs
used to try and push the opposing side back to their side of the bridge.
The event can get very messy with rotten food and even dirty nappies
being used as missiles. And it has been known to get out of hand, with
vehicles and buildings set alight!
The festival is usually on the last Sunday of July but this isn’t set
in stone and its difficult to find information on exact dates. It has
been known to be cancelled by the organisers over fears that the vast
number of participants may be too much for the bridge.
- See more at: http://www.somewhereintheworldtoday.com/festivals/wasserschlacht-festival/#sthash.NHfPJdvg.dpuf
At
the Wasserschlacht in Berlin, Germany, two battling districts
(Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg) meet on the Oberbaumbrucke Bridge and
what starts as a massive water fight soon becomes a free for all where
eggs, flour, water bombs, fruit etc being thrown, and foam-rubber clubs
used to try and push the opposing side back to their side of the bridge.
The event can get very messy with rotten food and even dirty nappies
being used as missiles. And it has been known to get out of hand, with
vehicles and buildings set alight!
The festival is usually on the last Sunday of July but this isn’t set
in stone and its difficult to find information on exact dates. It has
been known to be cancelled by the organisers over fears that the vast
number of participants may be too much for the bridge.
- See more at: http://www.somewhereintheworldtoday.com/festivals/wasserschlacht-festival/#sthash.NHfPJdvg.dpuf
Wasserschlacht
Festival, Berlin
Stated in 1998 in attempt to join two Berlin districts (Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg
) between which a river flows, this festival aimed at joining the two districts. The festival starts with friendly water fight, which soon transforms into people throwing rotten food (even garbage) on each other on the Oberbaumbruecke bridge. Though the districts are now officially unified, this strange mayhem has not stopped as the people of the two districts still have not come into terms as to which of them owns the new district. Even salted fish and used diapers are thrown!
Literally “water fight,” Berlin’s dirty blitzkrieg often turns into a
Gemüseschlacht (food fight) and escalates even further into a
Müllschacht (garbage fight). Residents of two proud neighborhoods
Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg (now administratively unified) wage war to
determine the king of the newborn district. The battle starts out as a
nasty water fight until flour, eggs, and even rotten fruits and
vegetables begin to rain down on either side. There are reports that
even salted herring and dirty diapers are being used as projectile. Source
Oberbaumbruckebridge
Can you imagine 40 metric tons of tomato thrown at each other in one hour? That is what happens at an annual festival in a village called Bunol in Valencia, Spain. Happening on the last Wednesday of August each year, the intensity of this festival can also be seen by the fact that it was banned in the early 50s, but the locals kept the spirit alive and the festival became official in 1957. Excellency Town Hall of Buñol decided to
keep a fee of €10 and limit the number of people to 20,000, as in 2012,
the crowd reaching there was about 50,000, something too much for a
village with a population of only 9,000. At around 10 a.m., festivities begin with the first event of the Tomatina where the goal is to climb a greased pole with a ham on top. When someone is able to drop the ham from the pole, a water shot in the air marks the entry of trucks loaded with tomatoes that are thrown at each other like crazy. The tomatoes are specially grown at Extremadura for this event, as these are less expensive. simlar events have come into existence due to the popularity of this festival, like the Colorado-texas Tomato War.
Clean Monday Flour War, Greece
Marking the first day of Orthodox Lent (Christian tradition of preparation of Easter) in Galaxidi, Greece, Clean Monday or Ash Monday started in 1801 when the locals covered their faces in ash and danced in opposition of Ottoman rulers. The carnival is now celebrated by throwing colored flour on others, with their faces painted in charcoal. The buildings are covered with plastic to save them from colored stains.
Entroida
Entroida
Entroida
Entroida, Spain
Another festival occuring before Lent is Entroida, also called the 'ant throwing' festival. This event takes place on three Fridays before Lent and some days before Ash Wednesday in Laza, Spain. The event is as messy as some of the other festivals in Spain (perhaps more messy than them as its celebration carries on for some days.), but with religious roots. The locals run through the streets with torches and the ones who decide not to join them, instead throw mud from the terraces or windows as this symbolizes purification. Some people dress as
Peliqueros, wearing a peculiar mask and cowbells, ragging food and drink from homes and whipping people with a stick. he Peliqueros are considered spiritual beings and must be respected by the locals as they help in the purification process.
In a small municipality in Galicia, north-west Spain is an annual festival that is as crazy and weird as the
Jarramplas Festival.
But instead of rock-solid turnips, revellers in Laza throw very angry
fire ants at the faces of unsuspecting passers-by during the
Entroida Festival.
Entroida is a Galician version of the global Catholic celebration
Carnaval.
However, many details make it unique from other Carnaval celebrations
in Europe. Like Carnaval, Entroida happens every year before Lent and
involves costumes, food and drinking. But the similarity ends there as
Entroida also has a bizarre combination of vinegar, fire ants and mud.
- See more at: http://ffemagazine.com/spains-entroida-festival-vinegar-angry-ants/#sthash.UtGwYiME.dpuf
The
festival takes place on the three Fridays before Lent and the four days
before Ash Wednesday. There are five distinct parts of the Entroida. On
the three Fridays, the people of Laza run around the streets wielding
torches of hay. Those who do not want to join the running instead throw
loads of dirt from their windows and terraces, hitting as many runners
as they can.
Saturday is unusual because the revellers become extra gluttonous:
locals dance, sing and eat their fill of grilled goat, pig head and
local desserts. On Sunday, the ‘official’ Entroida day, a couple of men
will dress up in festive, masked costumes and wear noisy cowbells as
they play the role of Peliqueros. The Peliqueros are uncontrollable and
very boisterous and not all that nice as they wield whips and playfully
lash at anyone and everyone. In addition, the Peliqueros can barge
inside homes and gorge at the family’s food and drinks while the family,
as expected, looks on.
- See more at: http://ffemagazine.com/spains-entroida-festival-vinegar-angry-ants/#sthash.UtGwYiME.dpuf
In a small municipality in Galicia, north-west Spain is an annual festival that is as crazy and weird as the
Jarramplas Festival.
But instead of rock-solid turnips, revellers in Laza throw very angry
fire ants at the faces of unsuspecting passers-by during the
Entroida Festival.
Entroida is a Galician version of the global Catholic celebration
Carnaval.
However, many details make it unique from other Carnaval celebrations
in Europe. Like Carnaval, Entroida happens every year before Lent and
involves costumes, food and drinking. But the similarity ends there as
Entroida also has a bizarre combination of vinegar, fire ants and mud.
- See more at: http://ffemagazine.com/spains-entroida-festival-vinegar-angry-ants/#sthash.UtGwYiME.dpuf
Tar Barrel Burning Festival, Ottery St. Mary, England
Happens every November 5th, this annual event of burning seventeen tar barrels and carrying them above local's heads from afternoon till midnight started in the 17th century. Originally, the tar barrels were rolled by hand and carried through the town center, but later the locals realized that it was too boring and since carrying them on the heads has been the tradition. The reason that this festival is added in our strange and messy festival list is that earlier it used to happen in almost all western towns of England and now only Ottery is the one left, and that is because of the number of casualties this event has seen, and therefore the increasing necessity of public liability insurance
coverage. Only the people who were born in the town or the ones that have lived for a long time in the town are eligible for the barrel-lifting event. The event may have originated as a means of
warding off evil spirits.
Holi, India
Having origins in the celebration of victory of good over evil and the origin of spring, Holi is celebrated all over India but he tradition of throwing colors at each other is said to have been started by Lord Krishna, who used to apply colors on his beloved
Radha and other gopis. But that all is not the reason why this festival is included in our list, as in previous times Holi was celebrated in a very traditional and simple manner, even colors were only from natural sources like green color was extracted from leaves, yellow and red from flowers and so on. Why we are talking about holi in this list is because of the change in both the mindset and the manner in which it is celebrated now, and also because of some peculiar traditions evolved over 200 years or so.Almost all colors used now are derived from chemicals, which have negative effects on the skin.The event also gives chance to street casanovas to assault young girls and what not. Whats more, water wastage and pollution add more of the reason not to celebrate holi. And this trend has actualy started in india, where the corporate and upper-middle class have limited holi celebration to escape to some nearby hillside and spend time there. In Barsana, birth place of Radha there is a tradition stated some decades ago where the women greet men with sticks in an attempt to not let them apply colors to them. The tradition is called Lathmar (beating-with-stick) Holi But the festival has some fun side too. The holi of Braj (place in which Krishna spent his childhood) is celebratedin much reigious and traditional way,playing with colors and remembering Krishna who started the color tradition of holi.The color stains of many people don't go away even after 2 months.
Battaglia delle Arance
Recognized as the largest food fight in Italy, the Battaglia delle Arance, or the Battle of the Oranges is an annual festival in the northern city of Ivrea. The carnival takes place for three days: Sunday Monday and Tuesday in February and ends on the night of Shrove Tuesday (preceding first day of Lent or Ash Wednesday ).History of this festival dates back to the 12th or 13th century when a tyrant tried to rape a girl named Violetta on the day of her wedding. But the girl instead decapitated the tyrant and the locals burnt the palace. Each year, a young girl is chosen to play the part of Violetta. Earlier the beans were thrown at each other instead of oranges. Typically there is the tyrants army and others consisting of nine teams that throw oranges on the tyrnats army. then there are the spectators watching the tyrants army getting smacked with oranges.However,expect to see the spectators getting their share of the orange juice. The severity of the battle is understood by the fact that every spectator is encouraged to wear the Berretto Frigio/Phrygian Cap/red hat for protection.
Feria de Cascamorras
Presumably the best way to end the list by mentioning a festival from our old school boy Spain, probably the ringleader in the niche of messy festivals and carnivals. So here's presenting you Feria de Cascamorras, an annual event taking place on 6th september in the towns of Baza and Guadix, Spain. Thousands of locals cover themseves in back oil abnd throw paint at the Cascamorras as he attempts to steal the Virgin statue from Baza. This event is actualy the beginning of Feria de Baza, the town's traditional festival. After covering themselves in back oil and paint, the locals of Baza wait for the Cascamorras from
neighbouring town of Guadix to try to steal their Virgin Mary statue from the church. The Cascamorras is then chased, thrown in the air and daubed in sticky black oil and paintand thus prevented in every possibe manner from robbing the Virgin Mary statue. The apparent war is due to the fact that the virgin mary statue was found buried by a man from Guadix, and hence the tradition of someone from Guadix trying to steal the Virgin Mry statue.
This festival is the start of Christmas festivities in Sweden and is observed for remembering St Lucia of Syracuse who dedicated her virginity to God and devoted her life to helping the poor and needy. In those days, the Romans were prosecuting anyone practicing Christianity and St. Lucia used to bring food on her both hands to the Christians that were hiding from the Romans with candles on her head. Thus candles are an important part of the festivities, which also include feasts, singing and dancing. But the main part of celebration is the crowning of a local girl (called Lucy Girl) with candles on her head and a red sash on her waist, symbolizing martyrdom. Alongside are other local girls also dressed in white and wearing the red sash, but without the crown. The boys wear white clothing with conical hats, that are decorated with stars and are named starngossar(or star boys). The festival is held on December13, the shortest day with longest night and thus St. Lucy in Sweden is linked to the light that the solstice brings. Saint Lucy’s day is called ‘little Yule’, and there are several different, unique traditions that are associated with it.The day begins with a girl in the family waking early when it is still dark outside, and delivering lussekatter' buns( special saffron buns with two little currant or raisin eyes on one end, symbolising a cat with a fluffy curled up tail), cakes and coffee to her parents, and then the other members of her family. The Lucy bride wakes up each member of her family by singing a song about Saint Lucia that describes a dark night being lit by stars and a dark house being lit by candles.
