Watch them fly at the International Worthing Birdman competition
Britain is alive with strange events and local customs that make for an unusual and entertaining date. Here’s what’s on in August, September and October 2009.
A good laugh and plenty to talk about are the ingredients for a great date, and few things are more entertaining than a group of people competing to make a fool of themselves by wrestling in gravy, gurning through a horse collar or attempting to fly from a pier!
We aren’t suggesting that all the events listed here are suitable for the first date – gravy wrestling isn’t exactly wining and dining!
But if you’re on date number three or four and the sun is shining, why not jump in the car and take a road trip to one of these bizarre and quirky British events. It beats another film and restaurant any day!
International Worthing Birdman
Worthing Pier from early afternoon, 22nd and 23rd August 2009
The Greek mythological story of Icarus comes to life at Worthing Pier on the south coast as competitors take to the air in human-powered flying machines. Some attempt to fly for charity, others to win the £30,000 cash prize for the birdman who makes the furthest flight in excess of the challenge distance of 100 metres.
Pop down early for a seafood lunch and then watch the birdmen fly! Visit www.worthingbirdman.co.uk for further information.
Cumberland Wrestling
The Show Field in Grasmere, Cumbria on Bank Holiday Sunday – 24th August
The Grasmere Sports Show and wrestling event boasts a history dating back to 1811, with its origins in the annual Grasmere sheep fair. Today the show retains a traditional country fayre feel, only now the wrestling tradition is coupled with mountain-bike and fell races, including the English Hill Championship, plus crafts, antiques stands, refreshments and stalls. Visit grasmeresportsandshow.co.uk for more details.
- The World Gravy Wrestling Championships
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships
The Rose & Bowl Inn, Bacup in Rossendale, 11:30am to 3pm on Bank Holiday Monday – 31 August 2009
This takes place as part of the Pennine Lancashire Festival of Food & Culture but to witness the bizarre gravy wrestling event, you need to be there for Bank Holiday Monday.
The teams competing for the title slip and slide in luke-warm gravy, gaining points for pinning the opposition down in the sauce. The winners receive the glittering trophy and wallow in the fame of being crowned the World Gravy Wrestling Champions of 2009. We suggest you avoid a roast dinner after this one though!
You can watch some of last year’s championships at YouTube and visit www.penninelancashirefestivals.com for more details.
World Bog Snorkelling Championship
Waen Rhydd Bog, Llanwrtyd Wells in Powys on 31st August from 11am to nightfall.
The World Bog Snorkelling Championship is an international sporting event with contestants travelling from Australia, America and Europe to take part. It takes place annually on August Bank Holiday Monday in Waen Rhydd peat bog on the outskirts of the smallest town in Britain – Llanwrtyd Wells in Powys, Mid Wales.
The aim is to swim two lengths (about 115 metres) of a peaty, murky trench, which has been dug out of the Waen Rhydd peat bog, in the quickest time possible. Competitors wear snorkels and flippers – and wet suits are optional but definitely recommended! The snorkeller with the fastest time wins a small cash prize. Visit www.worldbogsnork.com for more information.
World Black Pudding Throwing Championships
Royal Oak, Ramsbottom in Lancashire on 13th September
For some medieval madness, head to Bury in Lancashire – a town famous for the production of this regional delicacy. The aim of the game, as the name suggests(!) is to throw a black pudding that has been ‘swaddled’ in a pair of ladies tights at a collection of Yorkshire puddings on a plinth 20 feet up a tower, built in the middle of the main street in Ramsbottom. Whoever knocks down the most wins! Probably not a great date for vegetarians though!
- Egremont World Gurning Championships
World Gurning Championships
Egremont Crab Fair, Baybarrow Sports Field, Egremont in Cumbria on Saturday 19th September
The town of Egremont in Cumbria celebrates crab apple time with a unique day of quirky events that are topped off with the World Gurning Championships at 6pm.
Contestants put their heads through a horse collar and have to contort their faces in the scariest, most grotesque, silliest expression possible in a set time. False teeth may be left in, taken out or turned upside down (!) and the person who gets the most applause for their ugly face wins.
The Egremont Crab Fair dates back to 1267 to celebrate the time when the local Lord of the Manor wheeled a cart of crab apples through the village of Egremont as a goodwill gesture to the poor. Crab apples have a sharp taste and it is said the gurning competition originates from the faces the locals made when they bit into the sharp apples. For further information visit www.visitegremont.co.uk/events/crabfair.asp
World Conker Championships
Village Green, Ashton, near Oundle in Peterborough on Sunday 11th October, 10.30am to 3pm
Held annually on the village green in Ashton in Peterborough, over 300 competitors armed with conkers compete to be crowned the King or Queen of conkers.
The tournament started after a group of local friends had to cancel their annual fishing trip. Whilst drowning their sorrows in the bar, they saw conkers falling onto the village green and decided to have a game. Since 1965, the championships have raised over £300,000 to help various charities for the blind, and you can still sign up to compete! Visit www.worldconkerchampionships.com/html/2009_event.php for more details.
If you have a quirky date idea or go to any of these events, do let us know!
Tags: Date Ideas