There's nothing more American than a county or state fair, but the amount of weird stuff you can see at the fair is higher than the calories in a batch of deep fried Oreos. In fact, the crazy fair food seems relatively tame in comparison to some bizarre country fair traditions.
Sure, there are lots of carnival games, but many of the funnest activities involve weird contests and interesting interactions with animals. In fact, the fair is full of intriguing, occasionally gross attractions. Your eyes will never be the same when you leave one of America's famed fairs.
Did you think pet rocks disappeared when the '70s ended? Well, that's not the case at the Colorado State Fair, where they have the Pet Rock Olympics. There are only two categories in this competition - Best Dressed and Farthest Distance Roller.
There are outhouse races at places like the Iowa State Fair. Contestants speed along inside tiny bathrooms that have been placed on wheels. First place gets $300, second gets $200, and third place gets $100.
At certain state fairs, competitors try to win for something that might otherwise bring them great shame. They participate in the Rotten Sneaker Contest, which is sponsored by OdorEaters. Shoes are judged on overall condition and smell. The winner gets to move on to the national Rotten Sneaker Contest in New York. The national champ gets a $2,500 cash prize. Unfortunately, participants must be between the ages of five and 15.
The Kentucky Derby may be the more prestigious race, but it's a huge bore compared to the Banana Derby. First of all, this event replaces all the horses with dogs. And then, more importantly, the human jockeys are replaced with monkeys. Yes, monkeys are riding dogs. Banana derbies usually occur at the Georgia State Fair and other fairs across America.
You've likely heard of bird calls or even hog calls. However, there are also contests for husband calls and mom calls. For the husband calling contest, wives must take turns calling out for their respective husbands. Usually, they yell as loudly and aggressively as possible. One Illinois woman actually won the calling contest by performing an original song about why her hubby should come home.
During the mom calling contest, kids step up to a mic and shout to their respective mothers. One kid threatened to take away his parent's Oprah-viewing privileges if his mom didn't come running.
Many fairs feature llama shearing events. But at the Minnesota State Fair, there is a contest where llamas are allowed to keep their furs. During the Llama Costume Contest, participants make matching costumes for themselves and their respective llamas. Llamas have been dressed up as horses, Tooth Fairies, and even brides.
