Parades and Festivals
Ostrich Racing
Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 05, 2009 -
Comments (5)
Category: Animals, Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Parades and Festivals, 1950s
The Red Flannel Festival
In 2009, all WU readers are commanded to attend Michigan's Red Flannel Festival, where natives parade in public in their longjohns.Here's the history of the tradition, taken from the Festival's homepage.
It all began in 1936 in the midst of "the worst winter in years." The whole country suffered in the grip of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures. A New York feature writer bemoaned the "fact" that, "Here we are in the midst of an old- fashioned winter and there are no red flannels in the USA to go with it."
The local newspaper, The Cedar Springs Clipper, owned and edited by "The Clipper Gals" Nina Babcock and Grace Hamilton answered the writer with a RED HOT editorial stating: "Just because Sak's Fifth Avenue does not carry red flannels, it doesn't follow that no one in the country does. CEDAR SPRINGS' merchants have red flannels!"
The story was picked up by The Associated Press and orders began pouring in from all over the USA.
Seeing the possibility of at least a few years of publicity because of our famous “drop seaters" and lumbering history, a "RED FLANNEL DAY" was planned for the fall of 1939. After the closure of the Red Flannel Factory in 1994, the citizens became concerned as to the fate of their beloved Red Flannels and of the Red Flannel Festival. However, due to the love of their community legacy, volunteers rallied to keep the Red Flannel Festival tradition alive. It has continued to be an annual event, held the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October. The production of Red Flannel garments was reestablished and they are available to purchase in Cedar Springs.
And here are some shots from early on, courtesy of the Life Photo Archive
Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 02, 2009 -
Comments (6)
Category: Customs, Holidays, Parades and Festivals, Regionalism, Fetishes, Underwear, 1940s
Cow Festival in Switzerland
Each year the cows of Switzerland get to wear pretty hats.Read all about the tradition here, then watch a few seconds of video.
Cow Festival in Mels from jillnachtman on Vimeo.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Dec 14, 2008 -
Comments (0)
Category: Fashion, Holidays, Parades and Festivals, Foreign Customs, Cows, Europe
Pumpkin Boating
In Damariscotta, Maine they launched a new tradition this year. An Annual PumpkinFest and Regatta. By "Regatta" they mean putting outboard motors on giant pumpkins and motoring in them around the bay. MainePumpkins.com has pictures.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Nov 18, 2008 -
Comments (3)
Category: Parades and Festivals
Century 21 Calling
I've never seen a young girl get so excited about a large model of DNA before!Even if you don't watch all of this, be sure to fast-forward to about the 12-minute mark, for the great closing theme song.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 08, 2008 -
Comments (2)
Category: Futurism, Parades and Festivals, 1960s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Joan Avoids A Cold
As the weather becomes colder, let us all pay heed to our health, so that we may all stay well to attend the "Dutch Festival" of our choice.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 06, 2008 -
Comments (5)
Category: Domestic, Education, Family, Children, Parents, Hygiene, Body Fluids, Parades and Festivals, Self-help Schemes, 1940s
Babies On Parade
How did this fabulous event ever come to cease?
Posted By: Paul - Tue Sep 30, 2008 -
Comments (10)
Category: Babies, Games, Parades and Festivals, Regionalism, 1950s
Giant Spider Roams Streets of Liverpool!
Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 07, 2008 -
Comments (0)
Category: Aliens, Art, Performance Art, Entertainment, Horror, Inventions, Parades and Festivals, Pets, Technology, Toys, Foreign Customs, Science Fiction
Peruvian Guinea Pig Festival
Every year the residents of Huacho, Peru hold their Guinea Pig festival. First they dress the guinea pigs in cute costumes. There's a fashion show to decide the best-dressed guinea pig. Then they cook 'em up. The Telegraph notes that "Guinea pigs can be served fried, roasted or in a casserole... The meat tastes like rabbit or the dark meat of chicken, in case you were wondering." (via J-Walk)
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jul 23, 2008 -
Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Food, Parades and Festivals
The Horribles
As Thomas Pynchon preached, for every force, there is a counter-force. Thus it should come as no surprise that the state-sanctioned respectful and patriotic Fourth-of-July parade has a dark doppelganger, in the form of the Horribles Parade.The origin of these mocking, satirical festivals goes back well over a century. In Rhode Island, my home state, the affair is called The Ancient and Horribles parade. You can read about our version here.
In nearby Massachusetts, the town of Beverly Farms staged one that recently generated some controversy, with a float dedicated to the teen-pregnancy pact that was recently all over the news.
Read about reactions to their float here.
You can see the float in this video at about the two-and-a-half-minute mark.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jul 08, 2008 -
Comments (2)
Category: Art, Performance Art, Customs, Parades and Festivals, School, Sexuality
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |