Milk Drinking Contest

Festival Location: Harvard, IL, USA

Festival State: Illinois Festivals

Festival Type(s): Food and Drink Festivals, Bizarre Festivals

By: © Nelson Taylor 2009

Got milk? Milk Days is the longest running (1941) festival in the state of Illinois, and the 6,000-person town of Harvard is in the heart of the nation's dairyland. What better place to hold the Milk Drinking Contest every June?

Over 125,000 people show up to witness 100 people of all ages as they try to out mustache their brethren. This is a timed event, where 8 - 11-year olds must drink ½ pint of whole milk; 12-13-year olds a pint of 2% milk; 14-17-year olds a pint of whole milk; and 18+-year olds must drink a quart of whole milk. The latter proves to be the biggest crowd-pleaser as there's an annual rivalry between two of the fastest milk drinkers in the nation: Chad Odling and Pat Thoele. But no matter who wins each year, both men celebrate together with a dual milk upchuck after the show. For what? A mere $25 and some lame donations by local shops.