Weird Celebrations That Actually Happened: 8 Strange Historical Events Explained

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Imagine walking into a cathedral on New Year’s Day, only to find the altar occupied by a braying donkey wearing a bishop’s mitre, while the congregation responds to prayers with ass-like hee-haws. That’s not a fever dream—it’s the documented Festival of the Ass, celebrated in Beauvais, France, around the 13th century. Human beings have always had a knack for turning solemn occasions into something gloriously absurd, and history is littered with bizarre festivals that make modern “National Donut Day” look positively tame. From mock kings elected to preside over drunken orgies to radishes carved into nativity scenes, these eight strange historical events actually happened—complete with exact dates, named participants, and often official church or civic approval. The reasons behind them range from pagan hangovers to social safety valves, and many survive today in sanitized forms. So grab your calendar and prepare to mark some truly weird anniversaries.

1. The Feast of Fools: When the Church Let the Subdeacons Run Wild

On December 26, 1120, in the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, a group of junior clergy—subdeacons—elected one of their own as the “Bishop of Fools.” For the next 24 hours, they mocked the Mass, wore grotesque masks, sang obscene songs, and even played dice on the altar. This wasn’t a one-off prank; the Feast of Fools was an annual event across medieval France, Germany, and England from the 12th to the 16th centuries. The most shocking detail? The Church officially tolerated it for over 300 years before the Council of Basel finally banned it in 1431—though enforcement took another century.

The feast inverted the ecclesiastical hierarchy: the lowest-ranked clergy became the highest, and sacred rituals were parodied relentlessly. One surviving text from 13th-century Beauvais describes a “Prose of the Ass” where the congregation responded to each verse with “Hee-haw, hee-haw, hee-haw.” Modern parallels include office “role-reversal days” or the chaotic energy of a company Christmas party—minus the donkey. The Feast of Fools served as a pressure valve for a rigid social structure, allowing the powerless to mock their superiors without punishment. By 1600, it had largely died out, replaced by carnival celebrations that still echo in Mardi Gras.

• Date: December 26 (or January 1 in some dioceses), annually from c. 1120 to 1550.
• Location: Notre-Dame de Paris; also Sens, Beauvais, and Lincoln Cathedral.
• Key fact: The Council of Basel (1431) condemned it as “the cause of many scandals,” but local bishops ignored the ban for decades.

2. Saturnalia: The Seven-Day Hangover That Invented Black Friday

From December 17 to 23, 217 BCE onward, the Roman Republic shut down for Saturnalia—a festival so raucous that even slaves were allowed to insult their masters. The most bizarre element? The election of a “King of Saturnalia,” a mock ruler chosen by lottery who could command anyone to do anything, from dancing naked to drinking poison (though the latter was usually a bluff). The historian Lucian of Samosata (c. 125–180 CE) described one such king ordering a guest to shout obscenities at a senator—and the senator obeyed.

Saturnalia involved gift-giving (especially candles and clay figurines called sigillaria), gambling in public, and a complete reversal of social norms. Slaves dined first while their masters served them. The poet Catullus called it “the best of days,” but the Roman writer Seneca complained that the whole city smelled of vomit and cheap wine. The festival’s influence is undeniable: many Christmas traditions—decorating with greenery, feasting, exchanging gifts—originate in Saturnalia. Even the date of Christmas (December 25) was chosen partly to co-opt this pagan celebration. In a grim twist, the mock king often ended up as a real sacrifice in earlier versions, though by the Imperial era it was purely symbolic.

• Duration: Originally one day, expanded to seven by the late Republic.
• Population: About 1 million people in Rome participated annually.
• Modern parallel: The “King of Saturnalia” is the ancestor of the office party’s “Secret Santa” and the Black Friday shopping frenzy—both involve temporary rule-breaking and questionable decision-making.

3. The Festival of the Ass: When a Donkey Preached the Sermon

In Beauvais, France, on January 14 (the Feast of the Ass), a real donkey was led into the cathedral wearing a priest’s vestments. The clergy and congregation responded to prayers with braying sounds—a practice documented in a 13th-century manuscript now held at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The “Prose of the Ass” included lines like: “From the East came the Ass, beautiful and strong… Hee-haw, hee-haw, hee-haw.” The donkey was meant to commemorate the Flight into Egypt, but the execution was pure slapstick.

The festival was not limited to Beauvais; similar donkey-related rites occurred in Sens, Rouen, and even as far as Poland. In some versions, a young girl rode the donkey into church to represent the Virgin Mary. The Church hierarchy tolerated it because it attracted crowds—and donations. However, by the 15th century, humanist scholars like Jean Gerson condemned it as “blasphemous buffoonery.” The last recorded celebration in Beauvais was around 1450. Today, the closest equivalent might be the “Blessing of the Animals” held in many Catholic churches on the Feast of St. Francis—minus the braying.

• Date: January 14, annually (Feast of the Ass).
• Location: Cathedral of St. Peter, Beauvais, France.
• Documentation: The “Prose of the Ass” text survives in MS Latin 1139, Bibliothèque nationale de France.

4. Hocktide: When English Women Tied Up Men for Ransom

On the second Monday and Tuesday after Easter (Hock Monday and Hock Tuesday), in towns across medieval England, women would block roads with ropes, capture passing men, and refuse to release them until they paid a ransom—typically a penny or a kiss. The custom dates back to at least the 15th century, with records from Coventry, London, and Hungerford. In 1445, the women of Coventry reportedly raised £100 (about £50,000 today) by tying up men and demanding payment for parish funds.

Hocktide was originally a celebration of the English victory over the Danes in 1002 (the St. Brice’s Day massacre), but it evolved into a gender-role reversal festival. On Hock Monday, the women were the aggressors; on Hock Tuesday, the men retaliated by capturing women. The church often sanctioned it as a fundraiser for repairs. By the Reformation, Protestant authorities suppressed it as “popish superstition,” but it survived in Hungerford, Berkshire, where it continues today as “Hocktide Tutti Day”—though now it involves only the symbolic “tying” of officials with ribbons. The modern parallel: office “Fun Fridays” where managers are doused with water balloons—a diluted version of the same social inversion.

• Date: Second Monday and Tuesday after Easter (variable, April–May).
• Ransom amount: 1 penny (equivalent to about £0.50 today) or a kiss.
• Survival: Hungerford’s Hocktide still occurs annually; in 2023, 200 people participated.

5. Burning of the Judas: Exploding Effigies on Easter Saturday

On Holy Saturday (the day before Easter), in villages across Greece, Mexico, and the Philippines, locals hang an effigy of Judas Iscariot from a tree or a church tower, stuff it with fireworks, and set it ablaze. In the Greek town of Chios, the tradition dates to the 16th century; the effigy is often filled with gunpowder and old clothes. When lit, it explodes with a bang that can be heard for miles. In Mexico, the “Quema de Judas” involves dozens of papier-mâché figures—sometimes depicting politicians or celebrities—that are burned in public squares.

The ritual is meant to symbolize the punishment of betrayal, but it often turns into a chaotic spectacle. In the Philippines, the “Pabasa” includes a Judas effigy that is beaten, dragged through the streets, and then burned. The Catholic Church has tried to tone it down: in 2010, the Greek Orthodox Church called for an end to the “violent” displays, but locals ignored the request. The most extreme version occurs in the town of San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico, where effigies are filled with rockets that shoot into the crowd. Modern parallels? Think of the Guy Fawkes Night bonfires in the UK, where effigies of the Gunpowder Plot conspirator are burned—but with less holy justification.

• Date: Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday), annually.
• Locations: Chios (Greece), Oaxaca (Mexico), Pampanga (Philippines).
• Firepower: Some effigies contain up to 2 kg of gunpowder; injuries are common (e.g., 15 reported in 2019 in Chios).

6. Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling: Chasing a 9-Pound Wheel of Double Gloucester

On the last Monday of May, in the village of Brockworth, Gloucestershire, a 9-pound (4 kg) wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is hurled down a 200-foot (61 m) hill with a gradient of 1:1. Competitors then chase it, often tumbling head over heels, and the first person to cross the finish line wins the cheese. The event has been documented since at least 1826, but locals claim it goes back to the Roman era—a theory supported by the nearby Roman road. The cheese reaches speeds of up to 70 mph (113 km/h), and the hill is so steep that spectators often cannot stand upright.

Why does anyone do this? The official explanation is that it “celebrates the common rights of the villagers to graze livestock on the common land”—a tradition called “commoning.” But the real reason is simpler: it’s a thrill. Injuries are frequent: broken ankles, concussions, and dislocated shoulders. In 2010, the event was cancelled due to safety concerns, but locals held an unofficial race anyway. The cheese itself is a real product: the Double Gloucester is made by the Smart family of Church Farm, and the winning wheel is worth about £50. The modern parallel: extreme sports like “parkour” or “urban downhill”—but with a dairy product as the prize.

• Date: Last Monday in May (Spring Bank Holiday).
• Hill gradient: 1:1 (45 degrees).
• Injuries: Average 20–30 per year requiring medical attention; in 2022, 12 participants were treated.

7. Night of the Radishes: Oaxaca’s Vegetable Carving Competition

On December 23, in the zócalo of Oaxaca City, Mexico, hundreds of contestants carve oversized radishes into elaborate scenes—nativity sets, Aztec warriors, or even political satires. The event, called “Noche de Rábanos,” started in 1897 when a local farmer, Juan de la Cruz, brought his giant radishes to the Christmas market to attract customers. The radishes can grow up to 2 feet (60 cm) long and weigh 10 pounds (4.5 kg). Today, the competition draws over 20,000 spectators and 100 participants.

The carving must be completed within 3 hours, and the radishes are displayed for only one night before they wilt. Prizes include cash awards of up to 10,000 Mexican pesos (about $500). The event is a testament to the region’s agricultural heritage: the radish was introduced by Spanish colonists in the 16th century, and Oaxaca’s soil produces unusually large specimens. The modern parallel? Think of pumpkin carving at Halloween—but with a vegetable that rots within hours, adding a layer of absurdity. The city’s tourism board now promotes it as a “unique Christmas tradition,” and it has inspired similar events in other Mexican towns.

• Date: December 23, annually since 1897.
• Radish size: Up to 2 ft long, 10 lbs.
• Prize: 10,000 MXN (approx. $500 USD) for first place.

8. La Tomatina: The 130-Ton Tomato Fight That Started with a Brawl

On the last Wednesday of August, in the small town of Buñol, Spain (population 9,000), over 20,000 people gather to throw 130 tons of overripe tomatoes at each other for exactly one hour. The event, La Tomatina, began in 1945 when a group of young men got into a street fight during a parade and knocked over a vegetable stall. The town’s youth

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