In many parts of the country, particularly around Thanksgiving, turkey bowling is a fan-favorite and one of the strangest sports in the USA. This peculiar sport involves rolling a frozen turkey down a makeshift bowling lane, usually in a grocery store or community event, with the goal of knocking down pins—or sometimes bottles. It’s a quirky and festive way to combine two iconic American pastimes: bowling and Thanksgiving.

• Players roll a frozen turkey like a bowling ball.
• Originated in grocery stores, often played during Thanksgiving.
• The goal is to knock down as many pins as possible.

For a truly bizarre combination of household chores and extreme sports, extreme ironing is among the strangest sports in the USA. Participants take ironing boards to remote or extreme locations—mountain tops, underwater, or while skydiving—and press their clothes in the most daring conditions. Originally from the UK, this sport has gained a niche following in the USA.

• Competitors iron clothes in extreme environments.
• Originating in the UK, it’s gained popularity in the US.
• Locations include mountain tops, underwater, and more.

Cornhole may seem simple, but it has evolved into one of the most competitive and widely played of the strangest sports in the USA. Participants toss bean bags into holes on a raised wooden board, with points scored based on accuracy. Though often seen at tailgating events and backyard parties, cornhole has grown into a professional sport with its own televised national championships.

• Players aim to toss bean bags into a hole on a wooden board.
• Played at parties, picnics, and tailgating events.
• Cornhole has grown into a serious, competitive sport with national championships.

For those who love motorsports, lawn mower racing adds a humorous twist. This quirky sport involves racing modified lawn mowers at high speeds. From its roots in the rural US, it has grown into a popular, organized sport with national races and loyal fans.

• Participants race modified lawn mowers at high speeds.
• The sport has grown into a national event with serious competition.
• Lawn mowers are modified for speed but must retain their original appearance.

Georgia is home to one of the strangest sports in the USA—the Redneck Games. This annual event includes quirky competitions such as mud belly flops, hubcap tossing, and watermelon seed spitting. While humorous, the event celebrates rural traditions and lighthearted competition in a uniquely American way.

• Competitions include mud pit belly flops and watermelon seed spitting.
• Held annually in Georgia, celebrating Southern culture.
• A humorous event with roots in rural traditions.

Imagine paddling a giant pumpkin across a lake—that’s the heart of the Pumpkin Regatta, one of the strangest sports in the USA. Taking place in Damariscotta, Maine, participants carve out massive pumpkins, transforming them into boats, and race them in costume. This annual event showcases both creativity and athleticism, making it a beloved local tradition.

• Competitors paddle in giant, hollowed-out pumpkins across lakes.
• Popular in Maine, the event is held during the fall season.
• Participants often dress in costumes for extra fun.

Cardboard boat racing is all about creativity and craftsmanship. Participants build boats entirely out of cardboard and race them on a body of water. While the boats inevitably sink, the fun lies in seeing how far they’ll go before they collapse.

• Competitors build boats out of cardboard and race them on water.
• The race tests creativity and construction skills.
• Most boats sink before completing the race.

Outhouse racing might sound like something out of a comedy sketch, but it’s very real and ranks among the strangest sports in the USA. In states like Michigan and Alaska, teams construct outhouses on wheels and race them down a track. The competition is fast-paced, and the designs are often as wild as the event itself.

• Teams build outhouses on wheels and race them down a track.
• Popular in Michigan and Alaska, with creative designs encouraged.
• A humorous, fast-paced sport that’s grown in popularity.

Held in Nederland, Colorado, Frozen Dead Guy Days is an annual festival centered around a cryogenically frozen man. This quirky event features coffin races, where teams carry a “dead” body through an obstacle course. As one of the strangest sports in the USA, it’s a mix of macabre fun and community spirit, with additional events like polar plunges and frozen T-shirt contests.

• Teams race coffins through an obstacle course.
• Inspired by a town’s frozen resident – No actual dead people are involved!
• Events include coffin races and icy polar plunges.

Firefighter teams compete in traditional firefighting drills during the Fireman’s Muster, another of the strangest sports in the USA. This event includes water-pumping contests, hose relays, and bucket brigades, challenging participants’ speed and teamwork in a historical tribute to firefighting.

• Teams compete in firefighting drills like hose relays and water pumping.
• Popular in several US states, especially in the Northeast.
• Combines history, competition, and community engagement.