Despite wide-spread unemployment and a crippled economy, the Spanish - like the British - are still taking time out for party or two.

Last week saw the annual cultural festival 'Aste Nagusia' ('Big Week') celebrated in the Basque city of Bilbao - a nine-day festival of music, art, fireworks and bullfights that's been taking place since 1978.

Among the stranger traditions of 'Aste Nagusia' is the 'Concurso de Feos,' or 'the ugly competition.'

ugly competition


In it, residents compete to pull the least attractive face they can muster - a bit like the gurning competitions that are a tradition of rural England.

Photographers at the festival managed to capture some of the better (or should it be worst?) efforts from 'Aste Nagusia' - could you do any better?

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  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)

  • A participant in the "Concurso de Feos" (Ugly Competition), organised by the Txosna Moskotarrak, performs during the Aste Nagusia (Great Week) fiestas in Bilbao August 23, 2012. The fiesta is organised by both Txosnas, independent groups of friends responsible for bars and concerts, and Bilbao City Hall, and has run in its present form since 1978.The nine day festivities feature live music, sports, circuses, bullfights, fireworks, large doses of drinking and late nights. (Photo credit: REUTERS/Vincent West)