Punkin Chunkin, a competition to see who can launch a pumpkin the furthest, has deep roots in rural Delaware, where it began in 1986. The very first Chunkin’ Champion in 1986 launched their gourd 178 feet. The most recent Chunkin’ Champion was crowned in 2019 with a launch distance of 4,091 feet. The distance the pumpkins are getting chunked continues to grow every year, just like people’s interest in the sport.

However, due to rising insurance costs in Delaware, the competition was moved to Oklahoma in 2023.

The event has drawn crowds of over 20,000 people, and in the past years, generated close to $1 million in economic impact for the local area. Vendors, food trucks, and local shops thrive with the influx of visitors who come to see pumpkin-flinging machines in action. Beyond the financial benefits, Punkin Chunkin has given the local community a distinctive event that showcases rural ingenuity and creativity.

Everybody knows when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. So, what do you do when life gives you an old coffin full of bones rushing down a mountainside? Held annually since 1995, the Emma Crawford Coffin Races honor Emma Crawford, a local resident said to haunt Red Mountain after her coffin raced down the incline during a flood. Today, teams of four race down the street pushing creatively decorated “coffins” with prizes for speed, style, and spirit.

This Halloween-themed event brings in over 10,000 visitors each year, infusing the town with tourism revenue through hotel bookings, dining, and local shopping. These races have grown into a beloved regional tradition, strengthening Manitou Springs’ quirky identity and providing locals and visitors with a fun and impactful event each October.

I, Cameron, take you, Community Playmaker reader, to be my wife, to have and to hold, to carry on my back through a 278-yard obstacle course. To win your weight in beer and five times your weight in cash. To love and to cherish until parted by death. This is my solemn vow…

Wife carrying competitions have their roots in a Finnish legend and sport called “eukonkanto” but have become a hit in New England. Sunday River founded the North American Wife Carrying Championship in 1999 and continues to host the event to this day.

This quirky event attracts around 3,000 spectators each year in October and has put the Sunday River Resort on the map. The championship creates an autumn tourism boost for hotels, restaurants, and retailers in Sunday River and surrounding communities.

With fewer and fewer Western movies being produced each year, the number of people being dragged by a horse through town is diminishing. Luckily, cities across the country are helping to keep those numbers up by hosting Skijoring tournaments and competitions. Combining horse racing with skiing, Skijoring has transformed Whitefish, Montana, into a winter tourism destination. Riders pull skiers through snowy tracks, competing for speed and skill.

Drawing an audience of over 7,000 annually, the Skijoring event generates about $1.8 million for the local economy, bringing in revenue through accommodations, dining, and winter sports vendors. The event showcases Whitefish’s unique winter culture and helps sustain local businesses well past the holiday season, spotlighting the power of sports tourism to drive revenue beyond conventional travel seasons.

If you have always wanted to run with the bulls in Pamplona but found a trip to Spain too expensive, or thought bulls were too scary and dangerous, or if you don’t like the heat, then you should check out the Running of the Reindeer! This Alaskan twist on Spain’s famous bull run is held in downtown Anchorage, where participants sprint alongside reindeer in a thrilling four-block dash. This event has become a major winter attraction, drawing tourists during the off-season and showcasing Alaska’s unique culture.

The Running of the Reindeer has become an integral part of the Fur Rendezvous Festival, which attracts more than 30,000 people during its 12-day run. Like many events in the festival, it celebrates Alaska’s unique culture and history while providing a jolt to the local economy during the long winter months. From its humble beginnings as a wild idea from a local DJ to its current status as a must-see spectacle, the Running of the Reindeer exemplifies the spirit of Alaskan ingenuity and fun.

I’m not a huge fan of fishing; I just thought that a catfishing tournament involving no fishing supplies was going to be something else entirely. Held annually in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, the Okie Noodling Tournament has become a local institution, drawing a crowd passionate about the unconventional sport of “noodling,” or hand fishing, for catfish.

This unique event has attracted over 10,000 attendees in recent years, adding substantial revenue to the local economy of a town with a population of around 6,000. The tournament is part of a growing trend in “heritage sports” that foster a strong sense of local pride and history, making the event both economically and culturally impactful for the Pauls Valley community.

These unconventional sporting events demonstrate how creativity and local culture can transform into significant economic drivers. They attract niche tourism, generate media attention, and create lasting social impacts. From boosting off-season visitor numbers to fostering community pride, these weird sports prove that sometimes, the strangest ideas can have the most profound effects on local economies and social cohesion. As cities worldwide seek to differentiate themselves and attract visitors, embracing the unusual might just be the key to unlocking new economic and cultural opportunities.

*This article is featured in Issue 7 of our digital publication. If you would like the full experience, you can read the enhanced version HERE