Bridge Day, West Virginia
Fall festivals usually make us think of carved jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treating and Oktoberfest beer, but around the world, there are many wild, wacky ways to celebrate the season. From catapult-launching pumpkins to painting with cream cheese to jumping off bridges, there are a lot of ways to celebrate autumn. Here is a round up of some of our favorites.
On the third Sunday in October, as part of the official “Bridge Day,” more than 450 BASE jumpers hurl themselves off America’s second-highest bridge, New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. Since the bridge is 265 meters high, the jumpers have just eight seconds to freefall and open their parachutes, according Lonely Planet, before they land either in the rapids below (nicknamed the “River of Death”) or on a patch of the rocky, tree-filled shoreline. Around 450 participants jump from the bridge each year, some from trampolines or diving boards, while others rappel in teams into the canyon.
This year will mark the 35th anniversary of Bridge Day, reports WVMetroNews, and the six-hour event will be held on October 18th, with a crowd of more than 100,000 expected to attend to watch this years jumpers.
Pushkar Camel Fair, India
In the Indian state of Rajasthan, a five-day camel fair is held in the prominent Hindu pilgrimage town of Pushkar. It is one of the world’s largest camel fairs and is usually held in October or November. Hundreds of Rabadi herdsmen come to this annual fair to buy and sell livestock and thousands of camels, reports Amusing Planets. The camels are usually adorned in colorful clothes and paper decorations. According to the Pushkar fair’s official website, there is also an annual camel parade and beauty competition (where the best decorated camel wins). Over the years, the Pushkar Camel Fair has become an important tourist attraction.
Punkin Chunkin, Delaware
Every year, thousands gather for the “World Championship Punkin Chunkin,” where competitors use the mechanical cannons and catapults they have engineered to launch 10-pound pumpkins as far as possible. The world championships are held as a three-day festival, reports the Science Channel, and the competition is divided into categories depending on what type of launching machine is used, such as trebuchets, catapults and air cannons. The current record for farthest distance launched is 4,694.68 feet.
Mid-Autumn Festival, China
Also known as the Moon Festival, the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is a popular lunar harvest celebration. It is held when the moon is at its brightest on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is usually in September or early October, reports Amusing Planet.
According to TravelChinaGuide, the festival can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty of 1046-256 BC, when the royal class performed sacrificial ceremonies to the moon on the Autumn Equinox. Today, thousands visit temples to offer prayers during the festival, reports The BBC, and the celebrations feature multitudes of colored lanterns, a Fire Dragon Dance and lots of the traditional round lotus cakes.
Cream Cheese Festival, New York
Now in its 10th year, the annual Cream Cheese Festival is held in late September in Lowville, NY, home of the world’s largest cream cheese plant. The event includes such attractions as cream cheese toss games, including cream cheese baseball, cream cheese bingo and a team game where participants try to catch the cream cheese thrown by their partner in wheelbarrows (the one that catches the most wins). Last year, the festival won the world record for making the largest cheesecake, reports the Watertown Daily Times, which weighed 6,900-pounds.
Trailing of the Sheep Festival, Idaho
Held in Idaho, the Annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival observes the animals’ annual migration to the southern part of the state. Attractions include the sheep parade where 1,500 wholly critters march down the main street of Ketchum, the Championship Sheepdog Trials, and a Folklife Fair with music and dancing from sheep-loving countries like Poland, the Basque region and Peru.
Jurade de Saint-Emilion, France
In the Bordeaux wine region of France, the town of Saint-Emilion has a very particular way of marking the start les vendanges (wine harvests). A two-day festival is held in the medieval winemaking village, which includes a two-hour long mass in the cathedral, an impressive firework display and, of course, the ceremonial official proclamation made by the red-robed men and women of the wine committee called La Jurade. The official proclamation is made from the top of the town’s bell tower, reports 7x7.com.
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