The unusual festivals are those which do not feature as a normal carnival or a fun celebration that will appeal to a tourist in ordinary course of liking. These festivals are unique in character and the crowds they pull are a lot different. In fact, the tourist needs that level of guts to attend, celebrate and enjoy such unique festivals. Some of the unusual festivals are illustrated hereunder:
1) Bull chase festival, San Fermin, Spain:
Image Source : SpainAtm
This is an eight days craze where the bulls are made to run after letting them from an enclosure. This high action festival is celebrated as a tribute to San Fermin in Pamplona. Once the bulls are released, sheer pandemonium follows. The crowd of spectators preceding the charging herd runs for life. The festival is not for the weak-of- hearts or physically incapacitated persons as collision with a charging bull would mean death. Accidents do occur. Some unfortunates get tossed over the menacing horns and still others may get trampled under the hooves kicking up dust. Nevertheless, it is an exciting festival pulling tourists bubbling with enthusiasm from within Spain and abroad.
2) Charak or Gajan festival of West Bengal, India:
Image Source : Demotix
This is a festival of rural Bengal in India and takes place during Chaitra Sankranti around 14th and 15th of April every year. This festival is dedicated to Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva and before participation the devotees observe strict penance by fasting. The festival is unique and devotees mount on high bamboo poles and hurl themselves on the ground laid with thorns, nails and sharp weapons. The spectacle is awe inspiring and the acts of jumping off the poles are intrepid to the applause of spectators roaring with glee. The festival, no doubt, is very exciting and even the spectators need to be of strong nerve to watch and enjoy the Charak festival demonstrations.
3) Colorado fear festival:
This festival will exactly give you a feel of Abyss on earth. Held just outskirts of Denver, Colorado fear festival is quite a departure from normal festivals giving a new definition of terror in a dank and dark deserted ambiance. The carnival centers around a terrifying haunted house premise with ghastly clowns from circus epitomizing fear all set to give you the shock of your life! Right in the heart of the festival site there is a zombie paintball gallery, and to give terror more teeth a macabre lodge exists for you to check in. You will run into sudden guests that will give you goose bumps. The unusual festival, which is in fact, a dare venture has more shocks in store for you as you step below into a dark basement where the appalling creatures lie in wait to terrorize you as you frantically grope your way back into the safety of daylight.
4) Jack Pine Lumber Jack show, Mackinaw city, Michigan:
Image Source : JackPineLumberJackShows
This festival is unusual and appeals tourists with its own unique way. The festival takes place from mid May and ends in August. Here you witness the huge lumber jacks in action. Frenzied activities typical of timber industry is at galore including chain sawing, pole climbing, log rolling that literally creates earsplitting boom and a risk element is inherent among spectators as enough safety measures are to be installed against any chance accident from this crazy log felling contest.
5) Train Expo in Owosso, Michigan:
Image Source : FortWayneRailRoad.Org
This is a unique festival where vintage steam engines and World War II planes are showcased. The festival also exhibits auto races and daring rides triggering excitement in a big way. The festival takes place in the third week of June for two days.
6)Bani festival, Andhra Pradesh, India:
Image Source : ScoopWhoop
This is an unusual as well as blood curdling festival observed at Devaragattu temple in Koornool district of Andhra. During Dussera, stick wielding frenzied devotees hit at each other and the blood spattered fight continues throughout the night. This century old festival is observed to recall the killing of a demon by Lord Shiva.