Unusual talents and whacky sports – here’s why these New Zealand festivals are some of the most offbeat out there.

The Annual Monteith’s Dog Barking Festival
Queenstown prides itself on pushing boundaries. What better way to live up to the reputation than conceptualizing the whackiest town festival there is! Every year, residents bring their canine friends to win the ultimate title – the loudest barker in the land. From sheepdogs to tiny balls of fur, anyone can compete. The cherry on the cake? If a dog refuses to bark on command, its humans must compensate by barking instead. While down on all fours!

The World Busker Festival
It’s no secret that Christchurch loves its street performances or busking. The love for enthralling entertainment on the street developed into the World Busker festival. What’s great about it is that most of the performances are free for the public. The streets are a riot during the festival, with artists performing daily from 11 am to 7 pm. Expect to see top-notch performances – not only by the best acts from New Zealand but also the U.S., Brazil, the UK, Australia, Japan, and Italy. Go with the flow and prepare to be gobsmacked.

The Annual Taihape Gumboot Festival
Taihape is a small town with a quirky title – the gumboot-throwing capital of the world. A sport you’ve never heard of, in a place most people outside of New Zealand have never heard of before. It’s worth checking out for these reasons alone! The annual Taihape Gumboot festival does not disappoint. Gumboot throwing is precisely what it sounds like. Participants gather each year to see who can throw their gumboots the farthest. And everyone’s welcome. If you’re a tourist keen to participate, the town’s residents are happy to lend you some boots to toss. Gumboot throwing may sound easy. But it’s serious business for the people of Taihape. There’s even a lane where people can get some gumboot throwing practice in before the main event.