Generally, food is an important part of any celebration in all nations of the world, regardless of any culture or religion. Food is well known to unite and strengthen community bonds. It is used to celebrate different occasions in different cultures. There are numerous festivals around the globe, which are related to food. But some of them are highly distinguish from the rest of the festival. Their odd way of celebration makes these festivals famous. Each and every year, people around the world enjoy such festivals by disgusting use of food. To celebrate these festivals, people get dressed in strangely and funny clothes and start food fights.
Probably, such festivals were not really a waste of food in the past. These festivals had been celebrated over the years, when the areas which were held in for this purpose might be produce huge amount of a certain food like tomatoes, oranges etc. There would be an excess of food in the past which would go off or damaged and these festivals would be the way by which the spoiled food was thrown around.
In these festivals, food gets spilled, thrown away in a childish way, and wasted just for the enjoyment purpose only. It is not like any offence, but do you agree with that thing in which people have food ‘on’ them but not ‘in’ them, really awesome? There is thousands of starving kids in America alone, and you can easily figure out what for the whole world. Unfortunately, it is mostly America which wastes food on a world wide scale. These food-focused festivals are just waste of foods in weirdest, wackiest way and nothing else.
Well known but Weird Food Festivals all around the World:
La Tomatina:
La Tomatina is a festival that is held in the Valencian town of Buñol. In this festival, participants throw tomatoes at each other. This festival has a rule that people can start throwing the tomatoes only after a horn sounded and they should end when it sounded a second time. Participants are particularly advised to use goggles and gloves in this festival. To reduce the risk of injury, they persist on to use crushed tomatoes only. This festival held first time by the discontent people of the Buñol against the council members of the town in form of attack.
Tunarama Festival:
In 1962, The Tunarama Festival was begun with the remarkable idea to promote the tuna Industry which was emerging in Port Lincoln. Tunarama is longest running festival of South Australia. This festival contains free entertainment and its competitions and contests being organized for all age groups. Participants have to throw 20-pound tuna with a great force. In 1998, Sean Carlin, pro: former Olympic hammer thrower, made the record of 40 yards approximately. Although, this festival seems terrific way of enjoyment; presently it completed its golden jubilee.
Incredible but true that the food at this festival, involve dishes which are prepared with the kinds of animals that meet their end in traffic accidents. In West Virginia of U.S.A., Marlington celebrates roadkill fare in every September. However, nobody check in actual manner, it is part of the official rules that no one uses real road kill here, but they can cook only that one which must found dead on the side of the road like possum, beaver, raccoon, snake, deer, etc. People need to find a fresh but already killed animal on the side of the road and they can cook it in their own way. Participant need to bring all of their own equipment to cook. Winner can go away $300 in roadkill festival.
BugFest:
In the Bugfest, you dare to snack on a bug. If you can eat a basic bug you may get a discount or you may win free entry to the museum. You need to serve dishes featuring creepy crawlers or insects as a major ingredient. This time they plan to put the theme of aquatic bugs. Bugfest held by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh; participants dare themselves to eat insect dishes prepared by local chefs also cheer on bugs at the Roach Race 5000. Bugfest detest cruelty, and it would like to create your awareness to the circus beast ban debate.
Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling:
Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling is at least 200 years old, but as the event become popular; each and every year the contestants are coming from all across the world to compete it or to watch the show. In this event, participants need to roll on from the top of the hill, and then competitors race down the hill after it. There are usually a number of injuries like broken bones, concussion and sprained ankles etc. cause to the steepness and uneven surface of the hill. Normally, cheese used in the event is Double Gloucester. Although, there is cancellation of event by the management due to the launch of a 'Save the Cheese Roll' campaign, around 500 people attended in 2010.
Cheese Curd Festival:
Wisconsin became famous just because of its annual Cheese Curd Festival. In 1984, Ellsworth hosts a cheese curd eating contest and cheese carving competition due to the local creamery and dairy tradition which produces 19 million curds annually. In 2009, more than 5,000 people attended and would get a handful of the tasty, "squeaky" curds. While using mind and hand to create art on cheese, they also pray for fair weather like warm breezes and plenty of sun. This seems awesome but wastes tons of cheese for just enjoyment.
Melon Festival is held once in every two years in Chinchilla which is the Melon Capital of the Australia. Unfortunately, this festival includes and wastes 25 percent of the nation’s watermelon crop. Sports like melon tossing, seed spitting, and skiing in which feet embedded in the fruit are part of melon festival. Chinchilla local, John Allwood smashed through about 40 watermelons using only his "melon" just in a minute in 2009.
Maine Lobster Festival:
Maine Lobster Festival held every second Saturday in August each year in Rockland of Maine. In this festival, up to some 20,000 pounds of lobster would be steamed every year. So that, many people are fair to bash this disgusting event. People who agrees with this tradition need to lower their expectations and at least don't expect a deal. Apart from that other great attraction is the Great International William Atwood Lobster Crate Race. In 2008, the current record of 4,501 crates was set up in such type of race. Also, it included many scheduled events.
From 1978, Dr. Rudy Melone decided that Gilroy of California should be proud of its garlic, as it is one of the largest producers of garlic in the world. In this festival, everything in town is supposed to make in garlic. The festival contains with different and surprisingly recipes of garlic like garlic bread, garlic fries and garlic popcorn and with more adventurous dishes like garlic ice cream also. There are plenty of arts and crafts at the same festival and not all of them are garlic related but represent items that will remind you of the garlic festival without any lingering odors.
In Spain, there are steady procession of trucks loaded with grapes about 40 to 90 tons of locally grown Garnacha Tintorera grapes. They start to throw grapes to each other, which greatly cause to food wastage. Fortunately, it is not happen everyday.
In 1967, World Custard Pie Championships festival begun in the village of Coxheath of Kent and the festival was inspired by Charlie Chaplin. Many pies have been thrown in the sky fantasies while attending the Championship events. Food wastes very badly in this way. Participants are coming from all over the world. Unfortunately, many Countries have followed in their footsteps.
