The Glastonbury festival stomps defiantly into action this weekend, but the odd druid, "chanting dome" and James Blunt aside, you can rest assured that the truly weird festival action is happening elsewhere.

1

Boryeong Mud Festival, South Korea

The rainy Glasto swamp has nothing on Boryeong city in the Chungcheong province, three hours from Seoul, which has 9.9million square metres of squidgy brown mineral-rich mud on nearby mud flats. In July it's put to good use in the form of mud slides, mud fights, mud baths, mud wrestling, mock battles and rodeo rides for a festival at Daecheon beach. All good clean fun.

July 12-20, mudfestival.or.kr, charges for some activities.

2

Festival of near death experiences, Spain

At the Santa Marta de Ribarteme festival in Las Nieves, Galicia, people who've had near death experiences - surviving illnesses or accidents - are paraded through the streets in open coffins. Their relatives carry the coffin to church (god forbid any of them has a heart-attack on the way), then locals gather round to hear the story of their near misses, before fireworks to lighten the mood.

July 29, free, gospain.org

3

Water buffalo races, Thailand

Buffalo fancy dress, chaotic races (with jockeys riding bareback), a buffalo procession and a Miss Farmland competition lend a fun element to the serious business of buying and selling buffalo at this annual market in Chonburi, 30 miles from Bangkok.

October 1-31. tourismthailand.org.

4

Global Rainbow Gathering, Mexico

Peace and love and a fair bit of nudity are on the line-up at the ultimate hippy fest, which has travelled around the world since 1972. It's free and non-commercial, drugs and alcohol are banned (except marijuana, naturally) and days are filled with massages, drumming and discussing how to heal the world etc. Not one for cynics.

November 1-30 in La Paz, Mexico, also in Wyoming, US, July 1-7. See welcomehere.org. Donation only.

5

Twin Peaks Fest, US

Set in North Bend, the town near Seattle where David Lynch made his seminal television series, this celebratory festival includes hikes and bus trips to film locations, a celebrity dinner with some of the actors, Twin Peaks related games and a Lynch movie night.

July 25-27. twinpeaksfest.com. Tickets $200 or $220 including bus tour.