Festival of Lard Lovers - Lutsk, Ukraine

Every fall, the town Lutsk celebrates their pork production, in a "daring attempt at global branding" - "to once and for all convince everyone that lard is not food - it's the pride of the nation; to prove that lard is an excellent medical and prophylactic remedy; that Ukrainian traditions and customs are an excellent base for any modern cultural arrangement, and also a self-advertising for the nation as a valid member of the international community".
The slogan of the festival is "Lard-lovers of the world, unite!"

Last year, among the attractions of the festival was a beauty contest. Two dozens of pigs were dressed up like film stars: "The ladies were exceptionally beautiful - in little lace knickers, satin skirts, fishnet stockings, the little snouts lightly accentuated with lipstick. The cavaliers stern and elegant - in hats and vests."

The winner of the contest was the lovely sow Yulya (apparently named in honour of "the princess of the orange revolution" Yulya Timoshenko):



IotD has some more pictures.

Well, it's rather morbid, as even these most beautiful pigs will be slaughtered and eaten in the end ... It's like Two Thousand Maniacs, where some yankee tourists are lured into a small town in the deep South for a certain centennial celebration ... Aww, widdle piggy, you're so nice and cute and funny ... okay, let's kill you!