Joensuu, Finland

Heavy Metal Knitting World Championships

One of the world's most unusual events combines headbanging and needlework.

Finland now hosts one of Earth’s most unusual events: the Heavy Metal Knitting World Championships. Knitters take to the stage, accompanied by heavy metal bands for a bit of competitive merriment. It’s as if the knitters become part of the bands, their needlework often keeping pace with the music’s beat.

Finland has a big and vivid heavy metal scene, with more metal bands per capita than anywhere else in the world. Among the bands that have been successful internationally are Nightwish, HIM, Insomnium, Children of Bodom, Amorphis, and Lordi—just to name a few.

Knitting is also extremely popular in Finland, so the combination of that and heavy metal might not be as far-fetched as it might first seem. The organizers of the competition argue that they are both creative activities, which naturally brings them together. The event has seen competitors—including sumo wrestlers and sword fighters—from all over the world. And, of course, you can expect to see plenty of headbanging.