Posted on May 21, 2012
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We've combed through hundreds of events lists and Web sites to find the weirdest happenings in this Land of Fruits and Nuts. Here's a look at some truly odd Southern California events to mark on your calendar:
February:
Riverside Dickens Festival: How this Inland Empire city and England's Victorian novelist first became connected is a puzzle, but this annual festival features Dickensian plays, lectures, street performers, food vendors, educational workshops, live music and Victorian dance classes. Events include Mr. Fezziwig's Ball, Mr. Pickwick's Pub Night, a visit to Mrs. Cratchit's Kitchen and Oliver's Alley Children's Tea Party, as well as a visit from Queen Victoria. The 2013 event is scheduled for Feb. 2-3 at the Riverside Convention Center. Visit dickensfest.com.
March:
Del Mar Kiwanis Ugly Dog Contest: Often imitated, never duplicated, the 17th annual competition for misshapen mutts and pitiful purebreds took place March 11 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Each year, hundreds of costumed dogs and their proud owners show up to compete in the daylong event, which benefits charity. The hairless, dentally challenged and cataract-troubled canines often take the top prizes, but there's a people's choice award that lets everyone be a judge. Categories include "best costume," "best trick," "cutest puppy," "most unusual markings," "dog that looks most like its owner," "most beautiful" and "most handsome." Visit uglydogcontest.org.
April:
Urban racing: Inspired by the television show "The Great Race," these urban scavenger hunts pit costumed teams in timed, clue-finding missions in cities around the world. Teams must decipher clues and take public transportation to locations, then engage in silly contests such as solving Sudoku puzzles, fire-hose spraying, snake-slithering (which involves submitting to having a large snake put down your shirt), fish-sniffing and speed-eating. A new race seems to debut every year. Those visiting San Diego in 2012: Urban Dare took place March 31 (urbandare.com); CitySolve Urban Race comes twice, April 21 and Sept. 8 (citysolveurbanrace.com); and the Great Urban Race on Oct. 20 (greaturbanrace.com).
The Doo Dah Parade: Created as a whimsical goof on Pasadena's more famous sister parade (you know, the one with roses), the Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade took place at the end of April. As always, it took place in East Pasadena before an annual crowd of 45,000 enthusiastic fans. Launched in 1978, Doo Dah is known for its intentionally bizarre marching ensembles, drill teams (like the precision lawnmower and lawnchair squads), scary clowns and ragtag bands (like Snotty Scotty the Hankies). This year's parade, held April 28, featured the Kinetic Pastry Science Mobile Muffins, Captain McHogwash's Amazing Chundra, Bastard Sons of Lee Marvin, BBQ Hibachi Marching Grill Team and Hare Kirshna Chanters. Visit pasadenadoodahparade.info.
May:
Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge: Now in its second year, this Japanese game show-style challenge at the Del Mar Fairgrounds May 19-20 pits teams of brave adult contestants in a wild and wacky 5-kilometer obstacle course that includes dodging swinging boulders, climbing cargo nets and hills of balls, dodging a wrecking ball, walking a tight rope, doing a "belly flop drop" and swinging on a rope over water. Curious? Visit rocrace.com.
Annual Pug Party: Quick, what's better than one smush-faced, snorting, curly-tailed pug dog? How about several hundred, all together, and in costume? Pug lovers and their pets reunite each May for the annual Pug Party at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, with proceeds benefiting Pug Rescue of San Diego. The program includes a pug/owner dress-alike and wet T-shirt contests (yes, that's the pugs in T-shirts), a "cupcake chomp," a pug boutique, pug beauty services (they need lots of those), and a pug parade. This year's event was held May 5, so naturally the theme was "Pug-o de Mayo." And if you haven't quite had your fill of pug partying, the society also hosts a St. Pugtrick's Day Party each March, and Halloween and Christmas pug parties, too. Visit pugsandiego.com.
The 44th Great Arcata to Ferndale World Championship Kinetic Sculpture Race: OK, Arcata is not in Southern California, but if your travels take you to Humboldt County from May 26-28, you're in for an eye-popping treat. This three-day, 42-mile land, sea, water and mud race —- billed as the "Triathlon of the Art World" —- pits challengers riding human-powered art sculptures made from found objects that often have moving parts, blinking "eyes" and giant appendages. Visit kineticgrandchampionship.com.
June:
World Famous Mud Run: Runners come from all over the country to take part in this muddy mess of a race, actually several races, on Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base. The 10-kilometer foot race through the Oceanside base includes hills, tire obstacles, a sand crawl, river crossing and 5-foot walls, but the main attraction is the mud —- including a tunnel crawl, a mud hill and a 30-foot mud pit. The runs are so popular, organizers keep adding dates, with this year's count up to four (June 2, 3, 9 and 10), but book early as the first three are already sold out. Visit camppendletonraces.com or 760-725-6836.
August:
San Diego Midnight Madness Fun Bike Ride: Now in its 39th year, this wee-hours, 20-mile bicycle tour rolls through San Diego again on Aug. 18. A fundraiser for Hosteling International San Diego, the ride attracts eccentric cyclists decked out in pajamas, clown costumes, flashing lights and zany headwear. Ride starts at the County Administration building and winds through a flat, seaside course. Ridership is capped at 2,000, so register early at sandiegomidnightmadness.org.
Krazy Daze: The Central Valley town of Porterville celebrates its heritage each summer with wacky historical contests, like whisker-judging, outhouse races (homemade outhouses pulled on wheeled carts), Daisy Mae-style beauty contests, gun battles on horseback in the streets, anvil-pounding, a firemen's muster (firemen pull an old-fashioned wheeled firewagon) and a bucket brigade.
September:
Oceanside Harbor Days Nail and Sail Competition: Teams are given just three hours to cobble together a seaworthy vessel from nails, plywood sheets and caulking glue before they must row their way across Oceanside Harbor. Many sink, others never make it out of the dock, but surprisingly many cross the finish line for fun and prizes. This year's Harbor Days festival runs Sept. 29-30, with the race on day two. Visit www.oceansidechamber.com/harbordays/index.html.
Surf Dog: Dogs on surfboards, simple as that. Founded seven years ago by the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, the noncompetitive Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon puts paws on boards in the knee-high surf at Del Mar's Dog Beach this coming Sept. 9. A similar event, the seventh annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition, takes place June 16 at Dog Beach in Imperial Beach. Surprisingly, dogs seem to like the experience (or at least they like having a dry place to stand after being tossed in the frigid sea), and each contest draws from 40 to 60 dogs (and owners) each year. To register and see photos of these dogs hanging 16, visit Del Mar's Surf-a-Thon at: surfdog.kintera.org; and Loews Coronado's Surf Dog Competition at loewssurfdog.blogspot.com.
October:
West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval: L.A.'s most outrageous eccentrics turn out for this elaborate Halloween night costume party in the heart of L.A.'s gay community. Drawing from 350,000 to 500,000 revelers each year, the event is billed by organizers as the "world's largest street party." The R-rated Carnaval draws 500,000 revelers for dog and drag queen costume contests, a children's carnival, a pumpkin-carving competition, live music and dancing. Visit westhollywoodhalloween.com.
Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade: More than 15,000 line the desert city's streets for this popular annual event that dates to 1983. Inspired by the Rose Parade, this 3/4-mile parade on the fourth Sunday in October features golf carts decorated not with flowers but tissue paper, which is used to convert carts into just about every thing under the sun —- giraffes, waves, Volkswagens, spiders, carousels, elephants, tombstones and a bunch of grapes. This year's parade takes place Oct. 28.
Article source: http://www.nctimes.com/entertainment/attractions/strange-events-seriously-weird-socal-happenings/article_270718d1-9792-5720-8fb3-6edb429f1571.html
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