Just a couple strange events this weekend

 

Chitlin' Strut - South Carolina


The brainchild of a local disc jockey, the Chitlin' Strut began in 1966 as a fundraiser for the town of Salley's Christmas decorations. The event is based around liberal helpings of chitterlings - boiled and fried hog intestines!

Not exactly a vegetarian's paradise, every year more than 40,000 people rock up to the Chitlin' Strut to sample southern fried chitlin'. Since the festival's inception, an incredible 128,000 pounds of chitterlings are thought to have been consumed. In addition to eating guts, visitors come to enjoy the town of Salley's parade, a beauty pageant, hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, a "hawg-calling" contest (no microphones allowed!) and a final fireworks display.

There are also campground facilities for visitors during Chitlin' Strut, which is just as well since the population of Salley is only around 500 people!

Below is an image of chitlin - really doesn't look appetizing at all... but If needed, I would give it a try! 





World Duck Calling Championship


The World Duck Calling Championships at Stuttgart, Kansas, is held annually over Thanksgiving week and welcomes more than 60,000 people. The oldest event of its kind in the state, the prize package on offer is worth more than US$15,000.

The first World Duck Calling Championship contest took place back in 1936 and attracted only 17 entrants, the winner being one Thomas E Walsh, who is only one of two winners ever to triumph without the use of a duck call, instead impressively creating duck calls in the back of his throat. He won a hunting coat for his troubles, a far cry from the US$15,000 prize package today.

The thing you will quickly realise is that duck calling in Stuttgart, Kansas, despite its murky and frankly amusing connotations, is a serious business.