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Lisa Levy, the contest's 2017 winner, said she was completely stunned by her win.
transportation

The Miss Subways Pageant Charted the Highs and Lows of 20th-Century Feminism in New York

From a 1940s beauty queen to a 2017 performance artist.
Natasha Frost October 4, 2017
The sculpture the team from Mongolia created in their first year.
Breckenridge, Colorado

Breckenridge Snow Sculptures

Each year, teams of the world's best snow sculptors have 65 hours to create frozen masterpieces.
The playing field for the 2016 Nascondino World Championships, held in Consonno, Italy.
games

The International Hide and Seek Championship Starts Today

Start counting backward from 100.
Cara Giaimo September 8, 2017
The competition has just started and the competitors are off!
Övertorneå N, Sweden

The Unofficial Mosquito-Catching World Championship

A Swedish town came up with an out-of-the-box way to eliminate the bloodthirsty insects.
Village sign detail, Witcham.
Witcham, England

World Pea Shooting Championship

The best place to acquire pea shooting fame.
The statue stands tall at 8 feet.
Columbus, Ohio

Arnold Schwarzenegger Statue

A bronze of the man in all his sinewy glory celebrates his longtime connection to the Ohio city.
Molly Lewis: “It’s the weird and the wonderful, and that’s why I love it.”
obscura day

Listen to the Strange and Wonderful Sound of One of Earth's Best Whistlers

“You can’t really study or learn whistling, but it is kind of magical to see and hear.”
Sarah Laskow April 4, 2017
Open air chess board in Elista
Elista, Russia

Chess City

The largest Buddhist city in Europe is a haven for chess fanatics.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Ferrari World

This enormous sports car themed amusement park is home to the world’s fastest roller coaster.
Pehlivans at the Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival.
Avarız Köyü, Turkey

Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival

Brawny guys rolling around in oil is the oldest regular sporting event besides the Olympics.
Taihape, New Zealand

Gumboot Capital of the World

Taihape's claim to fame is a fictional Kiwi farmer wearing gumboots.
sports

The New York Cosmos Are American Soccer’s Past. Are They Its Future?

A team that was once the most glamorous in the world is making its comeback.
Erik Shilling September 13, 2016
video

Watch These Sprightly Frogs Compete in a 1965 Jumping Jubilee

The contest takes place every year at the Calaveras County Fair in California.
Lauren Young August 23, 2016
Permanently Closed
Hundreds of machines are setup for the tournaments.
Carnegie, Pennsylvania

Professional and Amateur Pinball Association World Headquarters

Where the "World Pinball Champion” is crowned.
mines

The Self-Proclaimed Center of the Universe is in Wallace, Idaho

This came as a surprise to New York City.
Tao Tao Holmes July 13, 2016
weapons

Wax Bullet Duels Were the Paintball Fights of 1909

Prideful men could fluff their feathers without anyone ending up dead.
Tao Tao Holmes June 29, 2016
animals

Unsightly Dogs Compete to Be the World's Ugliest in California

It's a surprisingly competitive contest that began in the '70s.
Urvija Banerji June 24, 2016
bars

Meat Raffles are the Juiciest Bar Trend

Meet the meat raffle, a British bar tradition transported to the U.S.
Natalie Zarrelli June 9, 2016