10 Quirky Small Town Festivals In The Midwest You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
Sure, the Midwest is known for cornfields, casseroles, and kindness – but it also knows how to throw a party. Forget your standard county fair; these towns crank up the weird with celebrations that are anything but ordinary.
From lawnmower parades to cow-chip tossing contests, these quirky festivals showcase the region’s one-of-a-kind humor and big-hearted creativity.
1. Humongous Fungus Fest – Crystal Falls, Michigan
Crystal Falls celebrates an enormous honey fungus that sprawls beneath their town with mushroom-themed revelry every August. Locals and visitors alike devour mushroom burgers while watching a fungi-focused parade wind through the streets.
The festival honors one of the world’s largest living organisms – a roughly 173-acre fungal network estimated to be 2,000+ years old.
When night falls, the Crystal Theatre hosts mushroom-themed music performances that cap off a day of mycological merriment.
2. Trenary Outhouse Classic – Trenary, Michigan
Only in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula would folks strap outhouses to skis and race them down a snowy Main Street. Teams push decorated porta-potties at breakneck speeds while spectators cheer from snow banks.
The February tradition began in 1994 and has since become a quirky winter highlight. Competitors spend weeks designing their racing thrones, with themes ranging from political satire to pop culture references, competing for both speed and style points.
3. Barnesville Potato Days – Barnesville, Minnesota
Spuds get the royal treatment during this two-day celebration where potatoes star in everything from eating contests to fashion shows. Visitors can witness potato picking competitions or try their hand at potato peeling showdowns.
I still remember visiting as a kid and watching my uncle compete in the mashed potato eating contest. He didn’t win, but the potato-smeared grin on his face made him look like he did!
The festival’s highlight remains the elaborate potato sculpture contest, where artists transform humble tubers into surprisingly detailed masterpieces.
4. Twine Ball Days – Darwin, Minnesota
Francis Johnson spent 29 years wrapping twine into what became the world’s largest ball created by one person.
Today, Darwin honors his obsessive creation with a festival featuring a “Twine K” fun run and twine-themed crafts.
Visitors can snap photos with the 12-foot-diameter, 17,400-pound masterpiece housed in its own museum.
Children participate in miniature twine-ball rolling contests, attempting to channel Johnson’s remarkable patience and dedication.
5. International Vinegar Festival – Roslyn, South Dakota
Sour faces turn to smiles at this celebration hosted by a museum that bills itself as the world’s only vinegar museum. Brave visitors sample dozens of exotic vinegars from around the globe, from traditional balsamic to unusual fruit varieties.
The annual crowning of the Vinegar Queen adds a splash of pageantry to the acidic festivities. I participated in the vinegar tasting competition five years ago and discovered a raspberry vinegar that changed my salad dressing game forever!
The museum’s founder, Lawrence Diggs, shares fascinating vinegar history during special tours throughout the day.
6. Wayne Chicken Show – Wayne, Nebraska
Poultry enthusiasts flock to this egg-cellent celebration where chicken-themed activities rule the roost. The highlight is the “Cluck-Off” contest, where participants showcase their best chicken impressions for judges and a crowd of bewildered actual chickens.
The “Henoween” street party transforms downtown Wayne into a chicken-lover’s paradise. Festival-goers bid on cement chicken yard art while children participate in egg tosses and chicken dance competitions that would make any hen proud.
7. Testicle Festival – Ashland, Nebraska
Bold eaters gather at Round the Bend Steakhouse to feast on what locals politely call “bull fries” – breaded and fried bull testicles served with cocktail sauce. Live bands provide the soundtrack to this culinary adventure that draws curious foodies from across the region.
The festival began as a quirky promotion for the steakhouse and evolved into a beloved tradition. During my visit last summer, I watched a group of college students nervously try their first bites while veteran attendees coached them through the experience with good-natured laughter.
8. Elmwood UFO Days – Elmwood, Wisconsin
Alien enthusiasts and skeptics unite in this small town that proudly calls itself “UFO Capital of Wisconsin” thanks to numerous reported sightings. The weekend features UFO expert speakers, alien costume contests, and tours of local sighting locations.
The extraterrestrial parade showcases homemade flying saucers and green-faced marchers. Nighttime sky-watching parties attract both serious UFO researchers and curious visitors hoping to spot something unusual above the Wisconsin countryside.
9. Arcola Broomcorn Festival – Arcola, Illinois
This long-running festival celebrates Arcola’s heritage as the “Broomcorn Capital of America.” Artisans demonstrate traditional broom-making techniques that have barely changed in centuries, creating functional art from dried broomcorn stalks.
The undisputed stars are the “World-Famous Lawn Rangers,” a precision lawn mower drill team that performs synchronized routines with decorated push mowers and brooms.
Their tongue-in-cheek performances have earned them invitations to presidential inaugural parades and nationwide recognition for their perfectly ridiculous showmanship.
10. Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw & Festival – Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin
Competitors fling dried cow patties for distance and accuracy in this oddly compelling contest that draws thousands. The tradition honors pioneer settlers who used dried chips as fuel on the treeless prairie.
Participants carefully select their competition chips from a pile, looking for the perfect aerodynamic qualities. The current record stands at an impressive 248 feet!
Between throws, visitors enjoy live music, browse craft vendors, and sample decidedly non-cow-chip-related foods from local vendors.