If going to festivals is on your bucket list for 2024 you might want to put these Illinois festivals on your list.

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Strange. Unique. Different. All words to describe all five of these festivals that happen each year in Illinois. YouTuber Stuck in the Kerfield put together a list of the top 5 weird festivals in Illinois. I can tell you this there is one festival that you will never see me at.

Arthur, Illinois - Amish Country Cheese Festival

Home to the Labor Day Weekend Cheese Festival. Their slogan is - More Cheese, More Fun! This festival takes place every Labor Day weekend and visitors can enjoy free cheese, visit Amish farm shops, and try the Nation Cheese Eating Championships or the World Title in the International Cheese Curling Championship. There are arts & crafts for the kids, rat & cheese races, vendors and so much more. If it weren't for the cheese part I would say this seems like a lot of fun.

Collinsville, Illinois - International Horseradish Festival

This festival is devoted to all things horseradish and is celebrated during the first weekend in June. There is musical entertainment, take part in the making of your won horseradish, the bloody mary contest, loads of foods to try, and a Horseradish 5k Run - cause why not? According to the festival's website, there have been over 180,000 attendees and has been going on for 35 years.

Chester, Illinois - Popeye's Annual Picnic

Home to the creator of Popeye the comic book character, Chester Illinois celebrates all things Popeye with a picnic and a parade the weekend after Labor Day. There is even a new character statue that is unveiled every year and currently has 17 statues featuring several different characters from the cartoon, including Wimpy, Olive, Bluto, and more.

SEE ALSO: The One Sherlock Holmes Statue in the USA is Located in Illinois

Olney, Illinois - White Squirrel Days

Don't mistake them for rats, these white squirrels and pinkish eyes are celebrated in the town of Olney. Each year volunteers try to count how many white squirrels are in the town (I find that somewhat impossible to do unless the volunteers mark the ones they have counted already). Better not hunt any of these squirrels it can get you a hefty fine. The town celebrates its unique squirrels with a parade, a 5K run, and vendors where you can buy your white squirrel souvenirs.

Huntley, Illinois -Turkey Testicle Festival

This is a pre-Thanksgiving festival with a ton of live music to kick off the holiday weekend. There are drinks, deep-fried testicles, and as you can imagine, only for adults. Thousands of people have taken part in this festival and like I say don't knock it until you try it.