These are the weirdest local holidays some people still celebrate!

Americans love holidays, and we know this very well. Independence Day and Thanksgiving? We’re all in! Food, fireworks, and quality time with family, friends, and the community. Everybody loves this, and this is why holidays are some of the most popular events out there.

But beyond these well-known and widely celebrated holidays, there are some obscure ones that simply fly under the radar. People may consider them quirky or offbeat, and for some of them, these celebrations are downright bizarre.

We are going to tell you more about some of the weirdest local holidays in the US and explain more about their origins and the unique events that led to their creation. Get ready to learn more about the diversity of American culture and dive with us in the fascinating world of the weirdest local holidays!

1. San Jacinto Day

This is a day that is celebrated every April 21st in Texas, and it’s so important for locals because it marks a crucial moment in the history of the state: the Battle of San Jacinto.

This is a battle that lasted only 18 minutes but is so important because it ended the Texas Revolution and secured Texas’s independence from Mexico. Every year people gather at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, where various festivities take place to honor the great event.

This is one of the weirdest local holidays, but in reality, it’s more obscure than weird, and since it’s recognized as a state holiday and not a federal one, there is no complete shutdown of state offices. These are partially staffed, so the activity is not completely interrupted.

The independence of Texas was not recognized by Mexico until 1848, and the Battle of San Jacinto is basically the birthday of the Lone Star Republic as we know it today.

2. Casimir Pulaski Day

Another one of the weirdest local holidays is Casimir Pulaski Day. This is a big event in Illinois and is celebrated every year on the first Monday of March. Its origins are tied to Casimir Pulaski, who was a Polish cavalry officer who had a significant role in the American Revolutionary War.

Even if it is included on our list of the weirdest local holidays, Casimir Pulaski Day is not even recognized across the entire state of Illinois. It is true that there are some schools that offer a day off to children, and maybe some county employees are also free, but for example, Chicago Public Schools has no longer celebrated this holiday since 2012.

Illinois has been celebrating Pulaski since 1977, and his contributions were further recognized in 2009 when he was posthumously granted honorary American citizenship. This shows us that he indeed left a mark on our fight for American independence.

Most people who are still celebrating this holiday are the Polish communities in Chicago and other urban areas in Illinois. Besides this state, Wisconsin also teaches kids about the contributions of Pulaski during the revolution.

3. Confederate Memorial Day

Welcome to the South! As you can imagine, this is not a place without tradition, and this is why it’s home to some of the weirdest local holidays. One of them is Confederate Memorial Day, and this is celebrated in some states like Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

Some states see this as a public holiday with state offices closing, while others simply commemorate the day without official closures.

In Alabama and Mississippi, this day is celebrated on the last Monday in April, and here offices close. In the same fashion, South Carolina celebrates Confederate Memorial Day on May 10, which is also the day of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s death. Also, this is not recognized as a public holiday, so the offices don’t close.

This is a holiday that sparked many controversies across the country related to the context of race, history, and memory. Those who support it consider that this is a day when they commemorate the soldiers who fought for the Confederacy.

On the other hand, the opposition considers that this is a day that only reminds us about the rebellion that upheld the institution of slavery and is reminding us about a not-so-pleasant part of the American hostility.

For example, Georgia changed its observance, and since 2015, Confederate Memorial Day is simply a “state holiday” here. But Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina continue to commemorate it as Confederate Memorial Day, and this shows us how strong the legacy of the Confederacy is in the American South, and this is why we consider it one of the weirdest local holidays.

4. Arbor Day

If someone says that the environment is not important for Americans, they are so wrong. At least as long as one of the weirdest local holidays still exists: Arbor Day. This day holds a special place in Nebraska, where this event dedicated to planting trees was born.

It all started on April 10, 1872, when the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture agreed with the idea of J. Sterling Morton to plant trees in the open fields of Nebraska. The event was a massive success, and the residents managed to plant an estimated one million trees across the state.

After this, the holiday was officially recognized in 1885, and now it has a new place in the state’s history. Even more, the holiday spread beyond Nebraska’s borders, and today it is celebrated in other states too.

Generally, Arbor Day takes place on the last Friday of April and is now a symbol of the values of conservation and environmental responsibility.

5. King Kamehameha I Day

This holiday is celebrated annually on June 11th and is considered one of the weirdest local holidays because it celebrates a king, Kamehameha the Great. He was the ruler who unified the Hawaiian Islands into a single kingdom in 1810, and locals and various sources say that he had exceptional leadership, strength, and vision and managed to bring peace to the island after many years of conflict.

The holiday was made official by Kamehameha I’s grandson, Kamehameha V, and is a beautiful way to commemorate the memory of this great ruler.

In Hawaii, this holiday is celebrated with fabulous festivities full of color and culture all across the state. The highlight is the floral parade where Pa’u riders who have long and colorful skirts stroll around the city.

At these parades, people dance, sing, and wear colorful and fragrant lei around their necks as a way to show their respect to the great king. Also, the statues of Kamehameha the Great are a big part of this, and even Washington, D.C., has one such statue to celebrate the day.

The United States is a diverse country with numerous traditions and, as you would expect, some of the weirdest local holidays. But this is not a shame; this only reflects the large cultural background and how different all the states are.

Also, holidays don’t need to be mainstream to hold a place in our hearts, and these little local holidays are the best example of this.

If you are interested in learning more about local holidays and their traditions, this book might be helpful: American Holidays: Exploring Traditions, Customs, and Backgrounds

You should also read: 8 Funny and Bizarre Coca-Cola Facts You Didn’t Know About