10 Of The World's Most Eye-Popping Events

In addition to an official contest that awards several of the best bodypainting creations, the event features the Body Circus, a surreal carnival of painted bodies, fire-breathers, burlesque dancers, and freaks.

Once inside, the men run through fountains of freezing cold water meant to purify the body and soul, then compete over the 100 special "shinji" sticks -- said to bing good luck -- thrown into the crowd by priests standing above.

While Japan's most famous "Naked Festival" takes place at Okayama's Saidai-ji temple (above), other sister festivals take place around the country throughout the year.

However, not all of those millions are nude. In fact, only the most highly respected holy men (known as naga sadhus, or naked saints) go without clothes (then immerse themselves in water that is sometimes freezing cold).

The time and place of the festival varies according to the Hindu calendar and certain zodiac positions. But whenever and wherever Kumbh Mela is, you can rest assured that it will be well attended.

Thousands come to Altenberg to watch male and female contestants from countries all across Europe race down the 300-foot hill.

The bravest researchers who stay at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station through the winter will wait for one of the few days a year when the temperature dips to -100 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, they'll get into a sauna cranked up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (that's just 12 degrees shy of boiling) for as much as ten minutes. Finally, they'll hop up from the sauna and out the station door, then run to the actual South Pole (above), about 150 yards away, and back -- wearing nothing but boots.

If you're doing the math, you'll note that these daredevils have thus endured a temperature swing of 300 degrees, hence the name of this unbelievable club.

Why? To raise awareness about dangerous greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, and to promote human-powered transport -- like cycling -- as an alternative.

And as the events' "bare as you dare" motto suggests, nudity is welcomed but not mandated.

A daytime procession based on ancient Gaelic ritual gives way to a raucous nighttime free-for-all full of flames, body paint, and nudity.

The so-called Red Men and Women dance, brandish torches, and generally release their inner demons.

Those events -- along with frisbee throwing, donut eating, and the "Best Bum Competition" -- make up the program of these annual nude olympics, hosted by a local nudist resort.

The event was, in fact, called the Maslin Beach Nude Olympics until the Australian Olympic Committee insisted that they change it.

According to PETA, approximately 40,000 bulls are slaughtered each year. And in order to raise awareness, activists run naked through the streets of Pamplona, brandishing signs calling for an end to bullfighting.

This year, protestors kicked things up a notch by dowsing themselves with huge quantities of fake blood.

Since 1977, several dozen members of the University of the Philippines' chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity have come together at least once a year to run naked, wearing only masks (and the occasional fig leaf), across campus.

But this is far from some kind of wacky prank. This coordinated demonstration is meant to bring attention to the important national issues of the day, including political corruption and the killing of journalists.