Tar Barrels
Okay, folks, time for some history lessons. Tar Barrels is a tradition as old as time. It goes back to 1605, where the first tar barrel race was conducted in order to blow up the British monarch at the time, James I. According to an old legend, it is a pagan ritual to cleanse the streets of evil spirits. And it was not much of a race back then. Now, centuries later, the streets of Ottery St. Mary light up with eager tourists and townsfolk, as well as literal fire-carrying barrel-wielders.
The barrels contestants carry are dipped in tar and lit on fire, which means they turn into literal human torches for fun. Each house chips in one barrel for the race, as it has become synonymous with the town’s culture. All the barrels are lit outside each of the pubs in the town, and once the flames are ablaze, they are good to go for a piggy-back. It is also slightly horrifying to know that as time passes and midnight approaches, the barrels get heavier and heavier and weigh up to 30 kilos (66 lbs).