1

Cardboard sled race

Image: Jeremy McKnight

Want to have fun? Get cardboard, tape, and go to Grand Haven’s Winterfest in Michigan where, every January, kids and adults build their own sleds and race down a snowy hill, hoping to make it to the bottom before their creation falls apart.

Prizes are handed out for speed, creativity, and team spirit. It’s all in good fun, at least for the crowds who watch as contestants slide hoping their creation comes to nothing before reaching the finish line!

2

Frozen dead guy days

Image: Henrik L.

If you think your family has odd traditions, wait until you hear about Frozen Dead Guy Days in Estes Park, Colorado.

This festival is inspired by the real-life story of Bredo Morstoel, a Norwegian man who was cryogenically frozen in a shed in Colorado (yes, really.) After local officials discovered the situation, instead of shutting it down, they embraced it and turned it into a full-blown festival.

Now, every March, thousands of visitors gather to watch coffin races, polar plunges, and even a Frostbite Fashion Show. A festival to die for, huh?

3

North American wife carrying championship

Image: Kyle Sudu

Ever thought of carrying your spouse through an obstacle course? In Newry, Maine, that’s exactly what happens every October at the North American Wife Carrying Championship.

Let us explain: Teams race across a 278-yard course with two dry obstacles and one water challenge, all while carrying their partner upside down, legs over the shoulders.

You don’t have to be married to enter, any duo can participate. The winners get a hilarious prize: the carried person’s weight in beer and five times their weight in cash. We’re in!

4

Corgi beach day

Image: fatty corgi

Twice a year, Huntington Beach, California, becomes a fluffy paradise thanks to Corgi Beach Day. What’s not to love about these short, stubby-legged dogs? This festival is to celebrate them!

Thousands of corgis, and their humans, of course, gather on the sand to play, dress up, and compete in fun contests. There are food trucks, vendors selling corgi-themed goodies, and even giveaways. Best part? All breeds are welcome, just be sure to dress up your pup in something fun, so they stand out among the sea of short legs and wagging tails.

5

Underwater music festival

Image: Sarah Lee

Music festivals are fun, but how about one underwater? Every July, divers and snorkelers in the Lower Keys, Florida, gather for the Underwater Music Festival, where music is played through special underwater speakers.

People dress as mermaids and sea creatures, pretending to play fish-shaped instruments as they float through the ocean. The festival promotes coral reef conservation, making it both entertaining and educational. The kind of fun we love!

6

Art Car Parade

Image: Ichsan Pratama

Every April, the streets of Houston, Texas, transform into a moving art gallery. The Art Car Parade features vehicles that have been painted, sculpted, and decorated into rolling masterpieces.

Some cars look like bananas, shoes, or space-themed creations, while others resemble Mad Max-style hot rods. What started as a small event in the 1980s has grown into the biggest free event in Houston, with up to 300,000 spectators lining the streets.

7

Twins days festival

Image: Jørgen Håland

Have you got a twin? Pack your bags and head to Twinsburg, Ohio. A place that lives up to its name by hosting Twins Days every August, the largest annual gathering of twins in the world.

Twins from all over attend, participating in a "Double Take! parade, contests, and research studies. Scientists and universities even conduct twin-related research, with some offering cash or gift incentives for participation. Every year, the festival has a theme, and many twins show up in matching costumes.

8

UFO Festival

Image: ruddy.media

If you’ve ever wondered about aliens and UFOs, Roswell, New Mexico, is the place to be in July.

The UFO Festival celebrates the famous Roswell Incident of 1947 when a flying saucer crash-landed near the town. We know that the government later said it was just a high-altitude research balloon, but many people still believe aliens were involved. The festival includes parades, alien costume contests, laser shows, and an "Alien Crawl" bar event for adults. An out-of-this-world experience, if we may say so!

9

WNC Bigfoot Festival

Image: Jon Sailer

Bigfoot may be a Pacific Northwest legend, but in Marion, North Carolina, he’s a local celebrity. The WNC Bigfoot Festival started in 2018 after reported Bigfoot sightings in the area, and it’s been a hit ever since.

Every May, visitors travel to the town to hear Bigfoot experts give lectures, watch a Bigfoot-calling contest, and browse Sasquatch-themed art and souvenirs. Would you like to go to this one?

10

Mothman Festival

Image: Carol Petri

In Point Pleasant, West Virginia, people embrace the mystery of the Mothman, a red-eyed winged creature first spotted in 1966.

Now, every September, the Mothman Festival celebrates the legend with vendors, cryptid-themed art, Mothman-shaped food, and hayrides. Visitors can also tour the Mothman Museum or take a bus tour of the infamous TNT area, where the creature was first seen.

1

John F. Kennedy

JFK, called "Jack" by his family, grew up with eight siblings in a home that encouraged both physical and intellectual competition. His strict upbringing didn’t stop him from forming the "Muckers Club" at Choate School, a group known for pranks and mischief that nearly got him expelled. Still, he was a popular, athletic student, and when he graduated in 1935, his classmates voted him "most likely to succeed."

2

Franklin D. Roosevelt

FDR grew up in a wealthy household, enjoying every comfort and taking frequent trips to Europe from an early age. He even visited the White House as a child, where he experienced a moment he would remember years later. When he was five, his family met President Grover Cleveland, who looked at little FDR and said, "My little man, I am making a strange wish for you. It is that you may never be president of the United States," referring to the heavy burden of the office. Curious, isn’t it?

3

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Those of us with siblings know just how important they can be, and that was true for young Dwight D. Eisenhower as well. When little Ike was being picked on at school by bullies bigger than him, his older brother Edgar stepped in. One day, Edgar stood up for Ike and made sure the bullies got the message, teaching them (and Dwight) an important lesson.

4

Herbert Hoover

Herbert Hoover was still far from becoming president when, at about six years old, he lost his father. He was sent to live with his uncle, a US government agent at the Osage Indian Reservation in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. For a year, young Bertie was surrounded by Native Americans and attended "Indian Sunday School," an experience that later shaped his policies and influenced his choice of Charles Curtis, a member of the Kaw Nation, as vice president.

5

Calvin Coolidge

The story goes that in the 1880s, a mule was once found locked inside a classroom at a school in Vermont. Can you imagine the chaos that poor animal must have caused? According to the tale, the culprit was a young Calvin Coolidge, who supposedly did it to get back at a teacher he didn’t like. The story was passed down by people who knew him, and although it was never recorded in official documents, it’s a fun contrast to the quiet, reserved man he later became as president.

6

Bill Clinton

Young Bill was often described as "unbearably responsible." According to one story, when he was in high school, a classmate once turned to him and said, "Don’t you ever break any rules? You’re a teenager!" Still, even this calm, rule-following kid had a mischievous moment: with some friends, he once spent a couple of hours tossing acorns at passing cars. Harmless, right? As long as it wasn’t your car!

7

John Tyler

Apparently, young John Tyler had a rebellious, righteous spirit. There’s a story from his youth that shows it perfectly: when he was just 10 years old, he led a revolt at his one-room schoolhouse against a teacher who was cruel and despotic. According to the tale, when the teacher complained to his father, Judge John Tyler, he replied, "Sic semper tyrannis!"

8

Abraham Lincoln

Although she never attended school herself, Abraham Lincoln’s mother believed it was important for her children to get an education, so they began attending one in a nearby town. The thing is, it wasn’t very close: the future president Lincoln and his older sister walked a little over nine miles to school, and another nine back home every day. Talk about perseverance!

9

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, in Illinois. Although his future would be very bright, his childhood wasn’t easy. From an early age, he struggled with vision problems, which made it hard for him to see clearly and focus on activities he liked, such as sports. But everything changed at 13, when he was finally prescribed his first pair of glasses, and soon landed his first job as a lifeguard. For several summers during his youth, he dove into the water to save people, an experience that, according to Reagan himself, gave him the confidence that stayed with him for the rest of his life.

10

Ulysses S. Grant

According to historical sources, Ulysses S. Grant showed an extraordinary ability with horses from an early age. So strong was his talent that people in his town brought him their "problem horses" to train. It is said that, at just 10 years old, he led a 40-mile journey driving a team of horses carrying passengers, a remarkable feat for someone so young!

1

Serena Williams

Image: Josephine Gasser

We’ll start with a tennis legend. Serena Williams is definitively one of the biggest names in this sport’s history. Alongside Venus, her sister and doubles partner, Serena managed to set record after record in her 27-year professional career.

In 1999, an 18-year-old Serena won her very first major title in the U.S. Open. Of course, that was only the beginning: She managed to achieve a feat we now know as a "Serena Slam" , winning both a Career Grand Slam and a non-calendar year Grand Slam between 2002 and 2003.

2

Tiger Woods

Image: Steven Shircliff

It's not an unusual sight to spot a red shirt hanging around the final round of a major golf tournament. After all, Tiger Woods always wears this color whenever he’s competing in the most important round of a tournament, which happens quite frequently.

Few names inspire as much admiration among golf players as Tiger Woods does: With 82 PGA Tours wins and 15 majors, he is widely considered one of the greatest golfers in history . Not only that, at 48 years of age he still manages to be a force to be reckoned with.

3

Babe Ruth

Image: Diana Polekhina

You’ll find many "Kings", "Queens" and "Legends" in this article, but only one "Sultan of Swat": Babe Ruth. He is not only one of the greatest baseball players of all time, but he is also an icon in American culture and one of the five inaugural players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Babe Ruth also holds the dubious distinction of being the source of a jynx. After the Boston Red Sox sold Ruth to the Yankees in 1918, the Red Sox suffered an 86-year championship drought that many fans blamed as karma for the sale. Naturally, this cautionary tale has henceforth been known as "The Curse of the Bambino".

4

Michael Phelps

Image: Gentrit Sylejmani

The title of the most decorated Olympian of all time goes to none other than Michael Phelps, "the Baltimore Bullet". This iconic swimmer made a splash (no pun intended) in every Olympic game he competed in, earning a record amount of 28 medals during his career.

It is fairly hard to choose the most iconic Phelps performance, but we probably lean towards the 2008 Beijing Olympics : Michael won 8 gold medals, breaking the all-time record for most first-place finishes.

5

Michael Jordan

Image: Taylor Smith

Michael Jordan might be the biggest legend in NBA history. He is widely regarded as the best player of all time , having won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and a myriad of other competitions including an Olympic gold medal.

Not only that, Jordan became a cultural icon and one of the most recognizable figures of the 90s, appearing in movies, video games, and in the logo of his iconic Nike shoes, the Air Jordans.

6

Simone Biles

Image: Eduardo Cano Photo Co.

Simone Biles’ debut at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics is one fitting for someone considered to be one of the greatest gymnasts of all time : She won four individual gold medals, as well as gold as part of the United States team.

Nowadays, Biles holds the distinction of being the most decorated gymnast in history , becoming a six-times all-around World champion in the process. Although she was forced to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to an injury, the future still seems to hold great things for this amazing athlete.

7

Joe Montana

Image: Dave Adamson

In the 1992 presidential primary, then-candidate Bill Clinton earned the nickname "The Comeback Kid" after securing a last-minute second place in New Hampshire. We’re pretty sure that President Clinton must have been particularly proud of this nickname: After all, it is legendary quarterback Joe Montana's most famous moniker.

Joe Montana earned this nickname through his iconic, last-minute touchdown plays . While he played for the San Francisco 49ers, Joe won four Super Bowls and became the first player to be named Super Bowl MVP on three separate occasions.

8

Jackie Robinson

Image: Mick Haupt

On April 15, every player, coach, and manager of all MLB teams wears the number 42 on their jerseys. This tradition, which started in 2004, is known as "Jackie Robinson Day" , a day dedicated to celebrating and remembering one of the most remarkable baseball players in history.

April 15th is a memorable date in baseball as it commemorates the day Jackie Robinson made his MLB debut. Celebrating his monumental career (winning a World Series and six All-Star games), Robinson was the very first African American player to play in the MLB, and his 1947 debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers marked the end of racial segregation in professional baseball.

9

Billie Jean King

Image: Valentin Balan

Billie Jean King is considered one of the best tennis players in history: She won an impressive total of 39 Grand Slam titles , as well as seven Federation Cups and nine Wightman Cups. However, she is also remembered as a long-standing advocate and pioneer for equality for female players, famously winning a historic match known as "the Battle of the Sexes".

In this 1973 match, while she was the No. 1 ranked female player in the world , King faced former American champion Bobby Riggs, who famously stated that even a retired male player such as himself could defeat the current female champion. King’s victory not only showcased her considerable skills but also marked a milestone in the road for female equality in the sport.

10

Muhammad Ali

Image: Johann Walter Bantz

We’ll end this article with the most celebrated boxer of all time . We could fill this entire article with incredible moments from Muhammad Ali’s life: His achievements are literally too many to count. From his groundbreaking fighting style to his flawless technique, Ali truly earned the title of "the Greatest".

However, this nickname also perfectly describes this boxer’s boundless determination both inside and outside the ring. Perhaps the best example of this can be described by a single, incredibly moving image: Despite his failing health, 54-year-old Ali took the stage at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games to light the Olympic flame.