Austin has the annual "Spamarama".

Maybe not a "festival", but close - A cooking contest that includes music, drinks, kids play area....

Spamarama...

I like it. Seemed to me on a trip through Austin that they are all about Hormel.

Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam,Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam,Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam,Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam,Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam,Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam,

I'm in Peru right now, and today we drove through a town that had huge banners up announcing its Golden Guinea Pig Festival. I kid you not. Guinea pig is a delicacy here. I haven't tried it yet (not sure I will) but the alpaca isn't bad.

I love the Swamp Cabbage Festival in Florida -- let me think, where they do it? East of Naples -- Immokalee. For the uninitiated, swamp cabbage is also known as heart of palm. They kill the tree just to get to the heart that runs like one big vein from top to bottom of the cabbage palm. They have all sorts of odd intricacies made from swamp cabbage.

Tell us more.

I've been to Alaska twice - in winter.

One summer I'm going to find my way back to Talkeetna for the Moose Dropping Festival!

Onion festival in Vacaville? Never heard of it, but my first thought was: let's go and knock on LoveItaly's door :)

What about that Fetish festival (?) in San Francisco, there was a thread, we all chipped in to help a budget traveler to make it to and in SF.

THE sauerkraut fest is Krautfest held in Franksville Wi. Remember "Franks Kraut"? Made in Franksville, although no longer, they still have an annual krautfest complete with a kraut queen.

There's the "Rattlesnake Roundup" in Whigham, GA and "Swine Time" in Climax, GA. Wouldn't you love to be Miss Swine Time??? And Gnat Days, somewhere in south GA-can't remember where.

I actually have been to two various competing "Blueberry" Festivals. One is in Plymouth IN and is always over Labor Day weekend (NOT Blueberry season, go figure!)

Everything is blue. There was even a huge blue dyed sow one year. They had tractor pulls and all kinds of food/ craft contests and huge arenas of farm animals and vintage vehicles of all farm types- as well. I think it was better than a state fair I have attended.

Don't really think it is too "freaky" but it does get somewhat weird food wise. I think I saw blue sauerkraut once.

The Testicle Festival outside of Missoula, MT. It's a festival that celebrates the "Rocky Mountain oyster."

Here's the website in case you're curious: http://www.testyfesty.com

I was a Sauerdraut Princess during the Sauerkraut Festival in my hometown of Waynesville, Ohio! The festival pulls in over 250,000 people in just two days.

There is a live cam of Main Street on the local fire dept. website that is fun to look at during the festival. People are packed curb to curb shopping for arts and crafts and shoveling in the kraut.

I think the festival is always the second weekend in October. The funny thing is that Waynesville is a "dry" town...no alcohol...so you can't wash your kraut down with a beer. Charles Dickens almost slept there once, until he found out he couldn't buy alcohol in town and he left in the middle of the night (or so the story goes) and moved down the road to Lebanon, Ohio which home of the Honeybee Festival.

The Chitlin (or, to some, chitterling) festival in Yatesville, GA. I grew up 10 miles from there & refused to go. Probably missed a real hoot of a time!

South Bend, Nebraska also has a Testicle Festival each summer which includes a contest to see how many can be eaten. Ugh.

Wayne, NE has Chicken Days every July and activities include the "Cluck Off", where the winning chicken impersonator may get a spot on Leno. Lots of other weird contests including Chicken Hats, Best Beaks, and Chicken songs.

Gotta love small-town USA.

THE sweet onion festival is in Vidalia, GA. I knew there were Walla Walla sweet onions and Texas sweet onions, but have never heard of Vacaville onions.

TxTravelPro - I have poke salad (or poke salet) popping up in my yard by the horse trough - just where it was in my grandmother's day. Don't know how to cook it though - and don't know that I want to try :-)

Trust me, it's not worth the hassle!
I tried it over and over and I suppose it is just an acquired taste.
The corn pone and boudin was pretty good though!
;)

another one in austin...eyore's birthday party.

any more festivals to add?

OK, who would want to miss the annual Wisconsin State Cow Chip Festival?

Prizes for whomever throws the dried cow chips the farthest.

I am not making this up :-) ! Been there.

http://www.baraboonow.com/annual_eve...es/cowchip.asp

Susan: ...and this is supposed to impress us??lol
There are armadillo festivals around here BUT I DON'T GO!!
So how far did you ship that chip?

Belle