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Some people think that the Japanese are pretty weird for some of the celebrations that they have, but they really have nothing on the United States when it comes to obscure culture worship.  Take, for example, the Lebowski Fest.  Similar to, but completely unlike, conventions that celebrate cultural phenomena like Star Wars or Star Trek, this one revolves around taking part in Dude-like activities inspired by the film The Big Lebowski.

If you haven’t seen the film… well, if you haven’t seen it, you are a bad person and need to correct this error immediately.  It’s a 1998 Coen brothers film about the complicated and strange life of a slacker.  Over the years, it has become a cult classic and is widely regarded as one of the Coen brothers’ best films. 

About a decade ago, some folks in Louisville, Kentucky decided that a celebration of the film was in order.  Now, every July see a gathering of fans, many of them dressed up like characters from the movie.  Not only that, but the phenomenon has spread across the world.  Now, Lebowski Fests can be found everywhere from Seattle to London, England.

These events, naturally, take place at local bowling alleys.  Within these hallowed halls, people sit around and share their love of the movie, getting drunk off of white Russians, screening the film, engaging in intense tests of Lebowski knowledge and trivia and doing whatever comes to mind.  If you happen to be dressed up in costume and a little tipsy, lots of strange things are likely to come to mind.  Occasionally, one of these events even sees a visit from an original Lebowski alumnus, such as when Jeff Bridges decided to stop by one year in Los Angeles.

This year, the Louisville event takes place on July 19^th and 20^th.  You can also check out the festival’s official home page and see if one will be happening a little bit closer to where you happen to be.

Lebowski and Maude courtesy Joe Poletta via Wikicommons