Boryeong Mud Festival

People have been fascinated with mud in recent years, as evidenced by the proliferation of dirty events like mud runs and the Spartan Races. Folks can’t seem to get enough of rolling around in the stuff.

© Shawn Perez | Flickr

If the thought of getting caked in the thick, brown dirt gets you excited, maybe you should take a trip to South Korea. The town of Boryeong holds a Mud Festival here each year with more mud-related events than you can imagine.

Originally conceived as a way to promote various mud-based cosmetics, supposedly great for the skin, the Boryeong Mud Festival has taken on a life of its own in the last two decades. People from around the world gather to roll in the dirt. Here, you’ll find mud wrestling events, mud pools, mud slides and even mud skiing competitions.

© Shawn Perez | Flickr

Of course, you’ll also partake in plenty of food and music while you’re here as several stages are erected for local bands to put on a show. It’s a great, quirky experience for anyone who isn’t afraid of getting a little dirty in order to have some fun. Heck, they even color the mud to make it more enticing.

We’re not sure about the skin claims, but we can guarantee it’ll definitely leave you with a story to tell your friends.