Off to Something Odd
0

Every event in the guide

147 unusual events across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — from shin-kicking to straw bears. Filter by where, when and whether you fancy joining in.

147 events to explore

Planning to compete? Read the entry guide

Date announced: the organiser has published it. Traditional date: fixed by custom (say, 5 November or Shrove Tuesday) — still worth checking. Usually…: we know the season but the next date isn’t out yet.

Derry Halloween

Derry~Londonderry, County Londonderry

The walled city stages a huge Halloween festival with a carnival parade and fireworks.

28 October – 1 November 2026Date announced

Punkie Night

Hinton St George, Somerset

Children carry candlelit lanterns carved from mangolds around a Somerset village, singing the Punkie Night song.

Have a go

29 October 2026Traditional date

Whitby Goth Weekend

Whitby, North Yorkshire

Twice a year Whitby fills with goths, steampunks and Victorian finery for gigs and markets.

Have a go

30 October – 1 November 2026Date announced

Battle Bonfire

Battle, East Sussex

A day-long bonfire celebration ending with a torchlit procession and fire on Abbey Green.

7 November 2026Date announced

Real Ale Wobble

Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys

A mountain bike ride through mid-Wales hills where finishers swap beer tokens for real ale.

Have a go

14 November 2026Date announced

Rye Bonfire

Rye, East Sussex

Torchlit procession through Rye ending at a bonfire on the Salts, topped with a boat.

14 November 2026Traditional date

Burning the Clocks

Brighton, East Sussex

A winter solstice lantern parade through Brighton that ends with lanterns burned on the beach.

Have a go

21 December 2026Traditional date

Comrie Flambeaux

Comrie, Perthshire

Flaming birch-pole torches are paraded round Comrie at midnight, then thrown in the River Earn.

31 December 2026 – 1 January 2027Traditional date

Nos Galan Road Races

Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf

New Year’s Eve road races honour Guto Nyth Bran, with a mystery runner lighting the beacon.

Have a go

31 December 2026Traditional date

Loony Dook

South Queensferry, Edinburgh

Costumed dookers parade through South Queensferry, then plunge into the Firth of Forth.

Have a go

1 January 2027Traditional date

Scalloway Fire Festival

Scalloway, Shetland

A torchlit procession brings a Viking galley to Scalloway’s waterfront for burning.

8 January 2027Date announced

Carhampton Wassail

Carhampton, Somerset

Villagers sing to the apple trees, fire shotguns and leave toast for the robins.

Have a go

16 January 2027Traditional date

Whuppity Scoorie

Lanark, South Lanarkshire

Lanark children welcome spring with paper balls, a bell and three laps of the kirk.

1 March 2027Traditional date

Kiplingcotes Derby

Kiplingcotes, East Riding of Yorkshire

A four-mile horse race over Wolds tracks and verges, claimed as England’s oldest, since 1519.

18 March 2027Traditional date

Links Market

Kirkcaldy, Fife

A funfair close to a mile long fills Kirkcaldy’s seafront Esplanade for six days each April.

Have a go

Six days from a Wednesday in mid-April

Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza

Llandudno, Conwy

Steam engines, street performers and Victorian dress fill Llandudno’s town centre.

Have a go

1–3 May 2027Date announced

Ballyclare May Fair

Ballyclare, County Antrim

An old horse fair returns to Main Street during a week of parades, funfair rides and fireworks.

A week in mid to late May, with the horse fair on the Tuesday

Holywood May Day

Holywood, County Down

Children dance round the maypole Holywood calls the last one remaining in the country.

Early May bank holiday Monday

Likely: Monday 3 May 2027 – based on the early May bank holiday Monday. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Knutsford Royal May Day

Knutsford, Cheshire

A costumed procession, sanded pavements and a May Queen crowned on Knutsford Heath.

The first Saturday in May

Likely: Saturday 1 May 2027 – based on the first Saturday in May. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Portrush RNLI Raft Race

Portrush, County Antrim

Raft crews race off Portrush’s West Strand to raise money for the RNLI.

Have a go

Usually late May

Stilton Cheese Rolling

Stilton, Cambridgeshire

Fancy-dress teams race a wooden 'cheese' along a village course near Peterborough.

Have a go

Spring bank holiday weekend at the end of May

Likely: 29–31 May 2027 – based on the late-May spring bank holiday weekend; this is a planning window, not a confirmed race day. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Tetbury Woolsack Races

Tetbury, Gloucestershire

Competitors carry heavy woolsacks on a steep town-centre course.

Have a go

Spring bank holiday Monday (late May)

Likely: Monday 31 May 2027 – based on the spring bank holiday Monday. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Wirksworth Well Dressing

Wirksworth, Derbyshire

Flower and seed mosaics decorate wells and taps around a Derbyshire market town.

Around the late May spring bank holiday weekend

Kingsteignton Ram Roasting Fair

Kingsteignton, Devon

A ram roast, May Queen and community stalls keep a Devon fair tradition going.

Have a go

31 May 2027Date announced

Appleby Horse Fair

Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria

Horses and a longstanding Gypsy and Traveller gathering beside the River Eden.

3–9 June 2027Date announced

Cotswold Olimpick Games

Dover’s Hill, Gloucestershire

Traditional games including the World Shin-Kicking Championships.

Have a go

The Friday after the spring bank holiday

Likely: Friday 4 June 2027 – based on the Friday after the spring bank holiday. Not confirmed by the organiser.

World Egg Throwing Championships

Swaton, Lincolnshire

Raw eggs are tossed, catapulted and smashed on foreheads at Swaton’s charity vintage day.

Have a go

Last Sunday in June, as part of Swaton Vintage Day (27 June 2027 if the pattern holds)

Likely: Sunday 27 June 2027 – based on the last Sunday in June. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Bawming the Thorn

Appleton Thorn, Cheshire

Children decorate a hawthorn with flowers and ribbons beside the village church.

19 June 2027Traditional date

Ambleside Rushbearing

Ambleside, Cumbria

A brass-band procession of rush bearings winds through Ambleside to St Mary’s Church.

Usually the first Saturday in July

Likely: Saturday 3 July 2027 – based on the first Saturday in July. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Bodmin Riding and Heritage Day

Bodmin, Cornwall

A Cornish street celebration brings dancing, music and the trial of the Beast of Bodmin.

Have a go

Usually the first weekend of July; await the next programme

Likely: 3–4 July 2027 – based on the first weekend in July; this is a planning window until the programme appears. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Grasmere Rushbearing

Grasmere, Cumbria

Villagers carry flower-and-rush bearings in procession to St Oswald’s Church, Grasmere.

A Saturday in mid-July, usually the second Saturday (formerly near St Oswald’s Day, 5 August)

Likely: Saturday 10 July 2027 – based on the usual second Saturday in July. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Oxenhope Straw Race

Oxenhope, West Yorkshire

Teams in fancy dress carry a straw bale 2.5 miles between pubs, downing a pint at each stop.

Have a go

First Sunday in July, starting at noon (4 July 2027 if the pattern holds)

Likely: Sunday 4 July 2027 – based on the first Sunday in July. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Wenlock Olympian Games

Much Wenlock, Shropshire

Annual multi-sport games in the Shropshire town that helped inspire the modern Olympics.

Have a go

June and July each year, with the main athletics day on a Sunday in mid-July and the Wenlock Mile in September

Burntisland Highland Games

Burntisland, Fife

Track events, Highland dancing and heavy competitions share Burntisland’s seaside arena.

19 July 2027Traditional date

The Burryman

South Queensferry, Edinburgh

A man clad head to toe in sticky burrs walks seven miles round South Queensferry for luck.

13 August 2027Traditional date

Ould Lammas Fair

Ballycastle, County Antrim

Ireland’s oldest fair fills Ballycastle with traders, horse dealing, dulse and yellowman.

Late August: a weekend of events followed by the main fair days on Monday and Tuesday

World Bog Snorkelling Championships

Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys

Snorkelling through a water-filled bog trench.

Have a go

August bank holiday weekend

Likely: 28–30 August 2027 – based on the August bank holiday weekend; this is a planning window, not a confirmed race day. Not confirmed by the organiser.

World Hen Racing Championship

Bonsall, Derbyshire

Hens sprint, wander or sit down on a 30-foot track in a Derbyshire pub car park.

Have a go

Usually the first Saturday in August, at the Barley Mow pub

Likely: Saturday 7 August 2027 – based on the first Saturday in August. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Irvine Marymass

Irvine, North Ayrshire

Horse-drawn parades, a crowning and traditional competitions mark Irvine’s Marymass.

21 August 2027Traditional date

Widecombe Fair

Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Devon

Dartmoor’s rural fair mixes local produce, horses, music and unusual competitions.

Have a go

14 September 2027Traditional date

Abbots Bromley Horn Dance

Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire

Traditional horn dance involving antlers.

Wakes Monday: the Monday after the first Sunday after 4 September

Likely: Monday 6 September 2027 – based on the Monday after the first Sunday after 4 September. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Bridport Hat Festival

Bridport, Dorset

Hats take over Bridport for competitions, street celebrations and a mass photograph.

Have a go

Usually the first Saturday in September

Likely: Saturday 4 September 2027 – based on the first Saturday in September. Not confirmed by the organiser.

World Black Pudding Throwing Championships

Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester

Throwers hurl black puddings at a stack of Yorkshire puddings on a tall plinth.

Have a go

Usually the second Sunday in September, outside The Oaks pub on Bridge Street

Likely: Sunday 12 September 2027 – based on the second Sunday in September. Not confirmed by the organiser.

Nottingham Goose Fair

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

A historic travelling funfair fills the Forest Recreation Ground with rides and stalls.

Have a go

Late September into early October; next dates unconfirmed

Paisley Halloween Festival

Paisley, Renfrewshire

Scotland’s biggest Halloween parade takes over Paisley town centre with street theatre, light shows and a funfair.

A Friday and Saturday in late October, afternoon into evening

Ceremony of the Keys

Tower of London, London

The Tower of London is locked up for the night in a short ceremony held every evening.

Every night of the year at 9.30pm (free tickets, released in batches and snapped up fast)