There are a lot of unorthodox festivals all over the world annually. It's great fun to recognize a particular passion that doesn't get much attention throughout most of the year, and it's even more interesting to see how various cultures celebrate these odd interests.
One of the strangest traditions of all time that is still observed to this day is the Fiesta de San Fermin, which is more commonly known as the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Early in the morning, hundreds of people donning white and red Basque outfits do the best they can to outrun the enormous beasts, which can run at speeds exceeding 30 miles per hour. There are a number of escape routes that the runners can take advantage of, but there are always a few who end up with battle wounds.
For anyone who isn't quite ready to take on the real thing, there's the Hemingway Days Festival in Key West, Florida. In honor of the renowned author's affinity for the Spanish tradition, this festival has its own Running of the Bulls, as well as a number of other activities that Papa loved, including blue marlin fishing. At Sloppy Joe's, a bar that the man himself frequented, there's even an Ernest Hemingway Look-Alike Contest that Lonely Planet says attracts approximately 150 burly, bearded men every year.
Those looking for a less intense experience can head up to Canada for the Calgary Stampede for 10 days of rodeos, races and cowboy culture.
While all of these festivals can be loosely tied together, one thing that they all definitely have in common is that they take place in just a few of the many major cities served by Hermes Worldwide and their unrivaled luxury transportation services.
