They Celebrate THAT in America? #1 Quiz

Answer: Great American Duck Race

The official mascot, "Dudley Duck", even has his own theme song. This festival is held in the town where I now live and is a well-run and fun event held the last weekend of every August. Duck Downs is located in the center of Deming at the Courthouse Park. Deming is located in southwestern New Mexico and is easily accessed by I-10.

Quack out...er, I mean CHECK out www.demingduckrace.com for more information.

Answer: 5,000 Egg Giant Omelette Celebration

Started in 1985, this festival is based on the collecting of all the eggs in the village of Bressieres, France to feed Napoleon and his army. The Giant Omelette is comprised of 5,000+ eggs (each year one egg is added), 50 lbs. onions, 75 bell peppers, 6.5 gallons milk, 52 lbs. butter, 3 boxes of salt and 2 boxes of black pepper! Abbeville is just southwest of Lafayette on Route 167.

Get crackin' over to www.giantomelette.org/ for more information.

Answer: Popcorn Festival

With the idea in mind of bringing some sort of annual event to Valparaiso and wishing to honor its famous son, Orville Redenbacher, the Popcorn Festival was born in 1979. The 5K run is known as the Popcorn Panic and the festival boasts of hosting the FIRST Popcorn Parade, in which entrants are encouraged to use popcorn on their entries. Valparaiso is about an hour southeast of Gary on Highway 30.

Pop over to www.popcornfest.org/popcorn.html for more information.

Answer: Roadkill Cook-off

Part of the Autumn Harvest Festival, the Roadkill Cook-off is a highly unusual event to be sure. While ingredients must include items that are commonly found dead on roadsides, none of the ingredients may be actual roadkill. One entry was titled "Stir-Tired Possum with Natural Brown Maggots". Doesn't sound too appetizing. The small town of Marlington is located at the junction of Routes 219 and 28, near the Monongahela National Forest.

Run over to www.pccoc.com/Roadkill.cfm for more information.

Answer: Humongous Fungus Fest

Weighing in at approximately 100 tons and said to be covering over 38 acres is this GIANT Honey Mushroom. It was found by researchers in 1988, but when people travel to the site, south of the city, they are somwhat disappointed because the majority of the mushroom lies underground.

What a glorious side dish for a T-Bone! You know... sautee'd in a little garlic butter... mmmmmmmm.

Crystal Falls is situated at the point where Route 2 meets Highway 141 in the far northwest corner of Michigan.

All you "fun guys" can check out www.crystalfalls.org/humongou.htm for more information.

Answer: World Pillow Fighting Championships

Sitting on a slippery pole, trying to hold on to a feather pillow, trying NOT to fall into the mud pit...yeah, my idea of a fun time. Not! The festival is organized and run by the Kenwood's Firemans' Association. Kenwood is just outside the city of Santa Rosa and is accessed by Highway 12.

Slip over to www.kenwoodpillowfights.com for more information.

Answer: Combine Demolition Derby

Old combines (at least 25 years old) that no longer are of use on the farm are driven demolition derby style to the thrill of the crowd. The Derby was established in 1988 and attracts over 5,000 spectators. Lind is located on Highway 395 about 2 hours northeast of Kennewick. This event is part of the Centennial Days Festival in Lind.

Smash into www.lindwa.com/history.html for more information.

Answer: Emma Crawford Coffin Races

Held each year just before Hallowe'en, this event remembers the life, and early death, of Emma Crawford. Emma tragically died just prior to her wedding to a railway worker. She was originally buried atop Red Mountain, but after years of rain, the mountain gave way and poor Emma's remains were washed down the mountainside. She was later re-buried in a cemetary in Manitou Springs, just outside Colorado Springs.

Creep and crawl over to www.manitousprings.org/coffin_races.htm for more information.

Answer: Spamarama

In early 1976, while looking for an alternative to the standard chili cook-off, founders settled upon a festival of SPAM. The celebration features the SPAMALYMPICS and SPAMJAM and winner of the cook-off takes home the SPAMERICA trophy! Wow. Austin, the capital of Texas, is conveniently located on I-35 in the mid-southern part of the state. Its official title - the Pandemonious Potted Pork Festival.

Spam www.spamarama.org/index.html for more information.

Answer: National Hollerin' Contest

Begun in 1969 as a radio show joke, The National Hollerin' Contest has now become an institution. Originally planned to help raise money for the Spivey's Corner volunteer Fire Department, this festival now attracts 5,000-10,000 spectators to the small town. Many varied events have been tied in with this loud competition over the years, including a search for the biggest bell pepper. Spivey's Corner(population 49) is just off I-95 on Route 13.

Give a shout to www.ibiblio.org/hollerin/ for more information.

Answer: Gopher Count

On the third Thursday of June, this second oldest festival in America is held celebrating the roundup of a very aggravating rodent. It seems that years ago, in order to help control the over population of gophers in the area, a bounty was placed on gopher legs. Folks round 'em up and collect approximately $1.25 per pair. No cruelty to the gophers is tolerated other than, of course, they wind up dead. Viola is just outside Rochester in the southeast corner of the state.

Burrow over to www.gophercount.com/index.php for more information.

Answer: Summer Redneck Games

A local, toothless fella named L-Bow, all decked out in his Sunday-go-to-meeting best (bib overalls, soiled T-shirt and stinky sneakers) traditionally lights the ceremonial BBQ grill signaling the start of some wild competition. Featuring other events such as bobbing for pig's feet, seed-spitting contest and a big hair contest, this festival, begun in 1996, promises a good time fer all. Contestants will be meetin' in Buckeye Park in East Dublin, which is a hoot and a holler ('bout an hour) southeast of Macon.

Git yer redneck over to www.summerredneckgames.com/index.html fer more information.

Answer: Milk Carton Derby

Held annually in July for over 33 years, this contest is part of SEAFAIR. Over 20,000 people gather to witness this festival and winners have received a total of over $10,000 in prize money. Seattle's Green Lake is the site where families, co-workers and corporations set sail in their milk-carton creations. Seattle is in mid-northwestern Washington and is accessed by either I-5 or I-90.

Paddle over to www.seafair.com/x355.asp for more information.

Answer: Fire Ant Festival

Fire ants can attack and kill small animals. When they bite humans the wound feels like it is on fire, hence the name fire ant. The Fire Ant Festival, held annually in October also features a men's crazy-leg contest, pet show and live entertainment. Just west of Shreveport, LA., Marshall is easily accessed by I-20.

Sting your way over to www.marshall-chamber.com/pages/fireants.php for more information.

Answer: Fried Onion Burger Day

I lived most of my life in this town and enjoyed several of these celebrations. On this day a 750+ pound hamburger is cooked on a specially made outdoor grill. It is cooked with onions, topped with mustard and pickles, cut into pieces and served to all who want to bite "The Big One". This festival, held the first weekend in May each year, celebrates over 100 years of onion-fried hamburgers being cooked daily at restaurants in El Reno. Follow I-40 or Route 66 west from Oklahoma City about 20 miles to get to El Reno.

Get your buns to www.elreno.org/tour/events.asp for more information.

Hope you have enjoyed exploring some of the unique ways we celebrate in America. Didja notice that every festival includes food in some way? And we wonder why Americans have a weight problem. Thanks for scootin' through my quiz.