The Weirdest State Traditions
Each American state carries a personality all its own, a set of characteristics that sets it apart from every other member of the union. As with any personality, there are oddities and quirks that come along with it, which may explain some of the weirdest state traditions. Every state boasts at least one custom or practice people from other states simply shake their heads at in confusion and wonder. Bizarre state laws and outrageous food laws ensure a state's peculiarities get official notice, but strange state traditions ensure said peculiarities are celebrated.
In most cases, the tradition in question connects to the state in some way. In others, finding a link between the custom and the state is much more difficult. Nevertheless, residents come together to take part in these unusual festivities and celebrate the quirkiness that makes their state unique. In this day and age of divisiveness and division, communities gathering together is a good thing indeed - even if the reasons for such gatherings are a little odd.
- 1
Colorado – Frozen Dead Guy Days
Nederland celebrates a bizarre annual tradition that sounds both unsettling and fun. Frozen Dead Guy Days is essentially a race in which teams each carry a coffin with a live person inside through a snowy obstacle course. There's also live music, a salmon toss, and a festive parade of hearses, all done in honor of a very famous frozen dead guy, Bredo Morstoel.
- 2
Illinois – No Pants Subway Ride
Chicago is just one city that takes part in the No Pants Subway Ride, an annual event spearheaded by the New York-based group Improv Everywhere. It's just what it sounds like: people ride the city's subways wearing no pants, typically going about their business as usual and raising quite a few eyebrows in the process.
- 3
West Virginia – Roadkill Cookoff
Marlington's annual Roadkill Cookoff has drawn the attention of the world. One day each fall, the town's cooks compete to see who can make the tastiest dish from, you guessed it, roadkill. Deer, squirrel, rabbit - if you hit it with your car, it's on the menu.
- 4
Missouri – Testicle Festival
The tiny Ozark town of Olean holds an annual daylong party for those most underappreciated foodstuffs, animal testicles. Cattle and turkey parts are cooked up, as well as many other dishes, and a carnival accompanies the celebration.
- 5
Nebraska – Buffalo Chip Throw
At Chadron's yearly Fur Trade Days event, locals come together to celebrate their little corner of the state. One of the highlights of Fur Trade Days, however, has got to be the Buffalo Chip Throw, in which entrants compete to see how far they can throw bison poo.
- 6
Texas – Eeyore's Birthday
Austin celebrates the birthday of Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh's depressed friend, every year. The free daylong event includes costume contests, live music, drum circles, and maypoles.
