When individuals envision the festivals in Europe, they usually envision Oktoberfest in Germany, La Tomatina in Spain or the masked Carnival of Venice. However, hidden in the small towns and villages, Europe has some of the most bizarre and weirdest celebrations that you could ever think of. These are not shiny postcard festivals- they are dirty, comic, weird and closely related to local customs. And to be truthful, it is the latter that will never leave you even when the photographs are long gone.
I learned the value of convenience when flying out for one of these trips and using meet and greet at Luton.
Handing over my car at the terminal and walking straight into departures made the whole journey stress-free which meant I could focus entirely on the strange and wonderful world waiting on the other side.
The Baby-Jumping Festival Castrillo de Murcia, Spain
I had heard of this festival, but never saw it with my own eyes, and still I could not quite believe it. Each year in June, in the small Spanish village of Castrillo de Murcia the men dress up as devils and leap over rows of babies. Real infants, yes.
The tradition is known as El Colacho and it is believed to take away the original sin of infants and prevent them against evil spirits; the tradition dates back to the 17th century.
My heart pounded as I watched the flash of yellow-and-red devil costumes as they whizzed by, not because I was afraid of the babies (they were quite safe on their tiny mattresses) but because of the surrealism of the whole thing.
In a world where the bulk of events surrounding babies entail gentle lullabies and tender cradling, this Spanish twist is half as frightening as it is memorable.
The Cheese-Rolling Madness Gloucestershire England
When I first heard about the Cooper s Hill Cheese-Rolling Festival, I assumed it was an April Fools gag. What could a piece of cheese in a wheel do? So I went.
Thousands of people flock up an outrageously steep hill outside Gloucester each spring. A nine pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is hurled down the hill at the cry of the starter--and dozens of people follow it. The aim is to trap the cheese (or to be first to the bottom).
Goose Pulling Festival Grevenbicht, Netherlands
That is one that caused me to blink twice. Ganstrekken, goose pulling, is a carnival tradition in Grevenbicht, in the Netherlands, during the carnival season. Fortunately, the goose is not real anymore, yet the contest is still weird to observe.
A (now artificial) goose is suspended by the feet on a rope across the street. On horseback riders ride beneath, trying to rip off its head in a single movement. It is rather harsh, and historically it was so, but nowadays it is more of a symbol and a goose is replaced with a stuffed one.
I was surprised by the amount of pageantry that is involved with it. The riders are in fancy dress and the village lavishes the winner with royal treatment. However weird it was to an outsider, the locals explained to me that it was not so much about cruelty as about continuing a centuries-old rite of the local community.
Battle of the Oranges Ivrea, Italy
Misguided though it may seem, food fights are not just a childhood activity. Each February, thousands of people in Ivrea Italy pour into the streets to fling oranges at each other. Oranges not in slices, not in peels--whole, juicy oranges.
This tradition takes its roots in the uprising against a despot many centuries ago, but nowadays it is nothing but theatrical mayhem. The participants dress in uniforms, some of them as the oppressed members of the town, the others as the forces of the rulers, and the orange fight starts.
Note: Always check cheap Heathrow airport parking before travelling and book according to your requirements.
Las Nieves, Spain The Festival of the Near-Death Experience
The most bizarre of the lot is the La Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme in Las Nieves, Spain. It is a festival of the Near-Death Experience, as creepy as it sounds.
Local residents who have overcome life threatening accidents, anything, even serious illnesses, get into coffins and are paraded through the streets in a magnificent procession. There is the follow-up of friends and family, who thank Saint Martha, the patron saint of resurrection.
Why Do These Festivals Matter?
At first glance, these festivals might sound like pure oddities, quirky footnotes in Europe’s cultural history. But after experiencing them, I realized they are about more than spectacle. They are about belonging, tradition, and joy—expressed in the most unusual forms.
And for the curious traveler, they offer something even better: the chance to step into worlds where normal rules do not apply, and life is celebrated with humor, courage, and a touch of madness.