If you want your 2026 travel plans to be more exciting than usual trips far beyond beaches, museums and historical landmarks, there are unique options worth exploring.
There are many unique festivals in the world that are extremely enjoyable and definitely worth travelling to see.
If you're looking to make your 2026 trips unforgettable, these weird and bizarre festivals deserve a spot on your bucket list.
International Hair Freezing Contest
Date: February 6 - February 22, 2026
In Canada's frigid Yukon region, a unique winter festival called the International Hair Freezing Contest is held every February at the Takhini Hot Pools.
People dip their heads into the hot water and then step into freezing air where their wet hair instantly freezes and can be styled into creative shapes.
Songkran, (Water Fight Festival)
Date: April 13-15, 2026
Every April, Thailand celebrates Songkran, its traditional New Year, by turning entire cities into massive water-fight zone for three days. As per ther beliefs, water is used both as fun activity and as a symbolic ritual for cleansing and renewal.
Wife-Carrying World Championship
Date: July 3-4, 2026
Wife-carrying is a quirky sport from Finland where husbands carry their wives through 253.5-meter obstacle course using different carrying styles like fireman's carry, piggyback or the Estonian-style and the winner gets a prize of beer equal to wife's weight.
La Tomatina (Famous tomato fight)
Date: August 27, 2026
La Tomatina, held every year in Buñol, Spain is considered one of the wildest festivals in the world.
In this event, which takes place on last Wednesday of August, the town's residents gather for a massive food fight where they throw tomatoes at one another.
Mud Festival
Date: July 25- August 10, 2026
Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea is a popular summer event where people can take part in a variety of fun activities all involving mud which include mud pools, mud-themed games, slides, skiing competition, wrestling and mud fireworks.
Underwater Music Festival
Date: July 11, 2026
Underwater Music Festival in the Florida Keys is a long-running event where people dive on a coral reef, listen to music played underwater, dress up in costumes, compete for prizes while promoting environmental awareness and safe diving.
Baby Jumping Festival
Date: June (specifically the Sunday after religious holiday of Corpus Christi)
In the Spanish town of Castrillo de Murcia, a long-standing festival involves a man dressed as the devil jumping over babies, a practice beleived to spiritually cleanse them.
England’s famous cheese rolling festival
Date: May 25, 2026
Every year in Brockworth, England adults take part in a risky tradition where they chase nine-pound wheel of cheese down a steep hill.
The cheese rolls quickly and unpredictably and competitors risk tumbling and falling as they chase it in hopes of winning the race.
The Air Guitar World Championships
Date: August 28-30, 2026
Air Guitar World Championship in Finland, which started as a joke, has now became a famous playful competition where people pretend to play air guitar on stage in two one-minute rounds (one song of their choice and one chosen by organizers) and are scored out of 6.0.
Colour-throwing (Holi)
Date: March 4, 2026
Holi, an ancient Hindu festival from India is celebrated as the "festival of spring," "festival of colours," which has spread to other parts of Asia and the Western world through Indian communities.
It celebrates love and the victory of good over evil, with traditions like throwing coloured powders and water, lighting bonfires and playing music.
