PROMO TRAILER

LOGLINE

Host Zach Selwyn cuts a blazing trail through the world’s wildest festivals.

SYNOPSIS

In each one-hour episode host Zach Selwyn takes viewers into the belly of one of the world’s wildest festivals, interviewing festival-goers and organizers while participating in the crazy events. Zach’s inimitable brand of music and humor culminate in each episode’s parting ode — which he performs in his own infamous Country-Rap style.

FESTIVAL HUNTER EXTENDED

THE HOST

Zach Selwyn is an actor/singer-songwriter and TV host who currently appears on the TV series America’s Secret Slang on the H2 arm of HISTORY CHANNEL (Sundays at 10pm est/7 pst) and as a comedic host of Guinness World Records Unleashed! on TruTV (Thursdays 8pm).

Zach is best known as host of Discovery Science Channel’s hit shows Catch It Keep It and Punkin Chunkin. He also hosted the comedic sports talk show Fanarchy on Versus in 2009 and starred in the Budweiser Clydesdale Fetch Super Bowl commercial (voted top ten of all time).

Zach’s sketch comedy group led him to become a traveling comedic correspondent/actor on G4’s #1 hit live show Attack of the Show from 2006-2008. He also hosted CQC with Greg Giraldo.

Zach has released 4 comedy albums including Moose Knuckle (2012) and Pluck Yer Twanger (2010). He has also acted in such films and TV shows as Kickin’ It on Disney XD, Glory Daze on TBS, Greek on ABC Family, Dead and Breakfast, Stargate Atlantis and That 70’s Show.

His first real break came as the runner-up and “most talented contestant” on the 2004 ESPN TV show Dream Job. He then went on to host Around the Horn and a special on ESPN about Jimmy Rollins.

ZACH’S HOSTING REEL

ZACH FREESTYLIN’ LIVE

EPISODES

SEASON 1

EPISODE 1
Testicle Festival – Rock Creek Lodge, Montana

The annual Testicle Festival is a strictly adults-only affair, and although the festivities revolve around the theme of eating bull’s testicles, or ‘Rocky Mountain Oysters’, Zach can also expect oil wrestling, wet t-shirt competitions and lots of public nudity; ‘No Panty Wednesday’ even sees punters offered a free drink in exchange for their underwear. Hmm…guess Zach will have to start wearing boxers.

EPISODE 2
The Wife Carrying World Championships – Finland

Zach visits this Finnish winter relay race in which competitors carry their wives as they run. What does the winner receive? Their wife’s weight in beer. No wonder it’s fast becoming one of Finland’s most popular festivals (and one of Zach’s).

EPISODE 3
Bridge Day – West Virginia

Zach visits the good people of West Virginia, who, on October 19, make it legal to jump from their 876-foot tall New River Gorge Bridge, setting the stage for the largest extreme sports festival on Earth. Bridge Day participants have upped the ante every year, culminating with last year’s introduction of the human catapult. This year, in addition to hundreds of B.A.S.E. jumps, teams will rappel and ascend fixed ropes from the bridge, and members of the public can ride a 700- foot zipline over the Gorge. Good luck with this one, Zach.

EPISODE 4
Fasnacht – Switzerland

Zach visits the biggest party in Switzerland with roughly 20,000 masked revellers taking part. Festivities kick off at four in the morning, when all the lights in the city go out and groups of costumed pipers and drummers parade through the town with lanterns. Celebrations continue throughout the week with lots of drinking and singing. Some groups even act out notable events from the previous year in what’s known as the Schnitzelbängg. Yes, we just said Schnitzelbängg.

EPISODE 5
Chinchilla Melon Festival – Queensland, Australia

If you`ve never seen anyone split open 47 watermelons in 60 seconds using nothing but, well, their own melon, you’re about to—at the Chinchilla Melon Festival. Zach joins the locals for melon skiing, melon iron man, melon bungee, melon bullseye, pip spitting and melon tossing. The streets of Chinchilla will be awash with melon mayhem, which could result in some very sticky situations.

EPISODE 6
Summer Redneck Games – Georgia, USA

The Redneck Games have expanded into an annual major event. Over the last decade, roughly 95,000 individuals have attended the one-day extravaganza. Watch Zach tackle the Hubcap Hurl, the Bobbin’ for Pig’s Feet Fest, and Redneck Horseshoes — in which toilet seats are the objects thrown. Each individual event has its own legion of fans, roster of popular competitors, and history filled with tradition. Like SEC football or hating Jeff Gordon, the Redneck Games have become a favorite pastime for Southern sports fans.

EPISODE 7
Songkran – Thailand

Zach visits the festival marking the Thai New Year. It’s the hottest time of the year in Thailand, so it makes sense that the biggest Songkran tradition is to throw water on people. A soaking is considered a blessing and a sacred practice. Traditionally, people would bestow blessings by pouring scented water on each other’s hands. But today, Thais of all ages engage in full-blown water fights, using buckets, hoses and water guns to celebrate the event. Just perfect for a cowboy-boot-wearing guitar-slinger from Tucson.

EPISODE 8
Hadaka Matsuri – Japan

When most people think of Japan, they think of tranquility, peaceful shrines and delicate foods. Not many would think of thousands of naked men, gallons of alcohol and grievous bodily harm. Zach visits the Hadaka Matsuri, or Naked Festival, in which men must go through purifying rituals, which include amongst other things, completely shaving off their bodily hair. Nice. The festival may seem brutal and barbaric, but it’s actually grounded in steep Japanese tradition. Something we’ll have to remind Zach of when he’s wearing a loincloth on the 30-degree day.

SEASON 2

EPISODE 1
The Circleville Pumpkin Show – Ohio

The Circleville Pumpkin Show is considered to be the biggest festival in the United States dedicated to the pumpkin. Zach witnesses the weigh-in of large pumpkins from around the area. The largest to date weighed in at 1,636 pounds (742 kg). Each year, Lindsey’s Bakery creates the “world’s largest” pumpkin pie. The pie pan is so large they house it outside in a tent on the street.

EPISODE 2
El Colacho – Spain

In Burgos, Spain one of the world’s most dangerous festivals takes place. El Colacho, or the “baby jumping festival” is said to protect the infants from evil spirits. Watch Zach jump four babies, then keep on running with the parents in hot pursuit.

EPISODE 3
Cheese Rolling Festival – Gloucester, UK

Chasing cheese down a steep incline seems crazy, but that’s just what locals and tourists flock to Gloucester, England to do. Zanies follow a 10-pound wheel of cheese as it rolls down a hill. The person who catches the cheese wins the wheel, and oftentimes, a trip to the emergency room. Will Zach be crowned the Big Cheese in Gloucester?

EPISODE 4
Sapporo Snow Festival – Japan

Sapporo is transformed into a snow museum every February when more than 300 snow statues of all sizes are displayed throughout the city. Some of the standout statues include Hokkaido delicacies such as squid, salmon, and crab frozen inside the ice. Watch Zach make a lame snowman for the contest, and contemplate eating, yes, yellow snow.

EPISODE 5
The Breast Touching Festival – China

The Breast Touching Festival occurs in the seventh month of the Chinese calendar. During the festival, men enjoy touching breasts, and women gladly accept their touch as the gesture – called “touching milk” – and consider it good luck for both. More recently, foreigners have begun visiting this town for festivities and are being received warmly by the town. Zach may never leave.

EPISODE 6
Big Bear Yoga Festival – Big Bear, USA

Big Bear Yoga Festival brings attendees incredible yoga teachers, dance, vibrant music, inspirational topics, yummy food and fun activities like a climbing wall and pool – all with the beautiful backdrop of the San Bernardino Mountains. Watch Zach flirt with yoga gurus and attempt meditating to flute music.

EPISODE 7
Dyngus Day Festival – Ohio

The annual post-Lenten bash, attracts tens of thousands to Cleveland, Ohio to celebrate spring, show Polish pride, flirt with pussy willows and listen to the best polka bands in the nation. A queen is selected, and she rides through town wearing a gigantic kielbasa around her neck. Watch Zach get switched with pussy willows, then dance with the Dyngus day queen.

EPISODE 8
Burning Man – Nevada

Zach visits the week-long annual event held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada. Burning Man takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy, which is set alight on Saturday evening. The world’s wildest festival is described as an experiment in community, art, radical self-expression, and radical self-reliance. Funny, they’re just what Zach listed on his resume.