The weirdest festivals on the planet in 2017
From stealing "penis" to jumping over babies, or racing to... take mud baths, these are strange festivals that attract a lot of curiosity from tourists around the world.
1. Mud Festival, Korea
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The Boryeong Festival takes place from July 21 to July 30 on the 3km-long white sand Daecheon Beach in southwestern South Korea.
Mineral mud is abundant in this sea area, famous for its healing and skin care properties, so the festival attracts thousands of tourists and locals of all ages to flock here to participate in activities such as mud bathing, mud massage, mud painting, mud soccer and mud wrestling.
2. Goat Throwing Festival, Spain
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The Goat Throwing Festival takes place every January 23 in the tiny village of Manganeses de la Polvorosa, in the Zamora province of Spain. The festival begins with men tossing a live goat from the top of a 15-meter-high church bell tower into the cheering crowd below.
The goat is caught on a tarpaulin and then paraded through the streets by crowds. The festival is said to have its origins in a legend about a goat that provided milk to poor local people. It fell from a tower but was unharmed.
In the past, a real goat was used in the ceremony. But for the past 15 years, after some pressure from activists, a fake goat has been used to recreate the ancient ritual.
3. Naked Festival, Okayama, Japan
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This bizarre religious event takes place on the third Saturday in February and attracts more than 10,000 adult men dressed in loincloths, fighting each other to win two lucky sticks thrown from the Saidaiji temple in Okayama.
The naked festival is a thanksgiving ceremony for the blessings of a bountiful harvest, prosperity and fertility. The stick used in the ceremony is a sacred talisman that is believed to bring health, wealth and happiness to whoever retrieves it.
4. Cheese Rolling Festival, Gloucestershire, England
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Every year on May 29 in the UK, thousands of people flock to County West to watch competitors chase a piece of cheese rolling down Cooper's Hill, Gloucestershire.
This is a wheel-shaped Double Gloucester cheese, weighing 4kg and capable of reaching speeds of 113km/h when rolling downhill. There are frequent “crazy” falls and injuries while chasing the cheese, although the official catchers are usually waiting below near Brockworth Rugby Club.
5. Fighting Festival, Macha, Bolivia
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It's not nice to fight with your neighbors, but it's encouraged during the “Tinku” festival, a fighting festival in Macha, Bolivia on May 7.
More than just a spectacle, this 600-year-old festival attracts thousands of men who drink and fight in the streets. Fists and even rocks are thrown. Death is not uncommon on this day, and those who survive with minor injuries later take part in major festivities, music and traditional dances.
6. Penis Stealing Festival, Kawasaki, Japan
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Kawasaka is famous for two things: legendary motorcycles and a giant metal penis.
On April 2, the town celebrates the Kanamara Matsuri (Penis Stealing Festival). This bizarre festival celebrates the legend of a woman who tricked a demon into entering her vagina. If you’re hungry, you can buy penis-shaped lollipops to snack on.
7. Baby Jumping Festival, Spain
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“El Colacho” is a 400-year-old ritual in Castillo de Murcia, Spain. Babies in the village are laid out on the streets for 12 months, and grown men dressed as yellow devils jump over them. This is essentially an ancient baptism for children./.
According to Dantri
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