Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Festival - Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire plays host to one of the wackiest festivals in the world. The event: Cheese Rolling. The goal: To chase the cheese down the hill. The Prize: The Cheese Wheel and a years worth of bragging rights.

No one really knows the origin of this tradition but who cares, it's insanely fun! The first of four races begins at noon. A special "guest roller" is selected and it becomes their job to release the eight pound Double Gloucester cheese wheel, which then rumbles down the hill with up to twenty contestants chasing after it at full speed. The hill's ridiculously steep slope causes complete mayhem and occasionally injury. There are both male and female races, so bring your running shoes, clothes you don't mind getting covered in mud, and all your courage.

 ALERT: The Cheese Rolling Festival has been under fire recently for not being able to accommodate the number of folks who show up. On May 31st, 2010 they held and "unofficial" Cheese Rolling Festival. Watch the website listed below for updates about 2011!!

Links

• Gallery: Cooper Hill Cheese Rolling Festival
• Website: http://www.cheese-rolling.co.uk/
• Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/entertainment/festivals/cheese_rolling/index.shtml