niagara falls eclipse

The Ontario side of Niagara Falls just broke the weirdest world record on eclipse day

People packing Niagara Falls for the rare 2024 solar eclipse on Monday managed to set a Guinness World Record in the Ontario city — surprisingly, not for the biggest crowds, but for something far, far stranger and more random (though still eclipse related, mind you).

As hordes of hopeful viewers flocked to the tourist destination, donning sweaters and eclipse glasses for the big moment, others sported very different apparel and headed not to prime viewing spots on the water's edge, but to the landing in the feature's Great Gorge for their record-setting attempt.

The record in question? The largest gathering of people dressed as the sun.

@abcnews

Hundreds of people gathered on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls ahead of Monday's total solar eclipse to break the Guinness World record for a gathering of people dressed as the sun. Guinness World Records official adjudicator Mike Marcotte was on hand to declare that, with 309 "suns" in attendance, a new world record had been set. The old record was set in 2020 by 287 people in Guangzho, China.

♬ original sound - ABC News

A total of 309 guests were involved in yesterday's attempt, all dressed in red rain ponchos and torso-sized yellow suns, stuffed rays portruding from all sides.

The group boarded on a boat and took off into the falls for the special moment, which was deemed a bonafide record by Guinness officials on the scene — on an occasion that was the perfect day for it, too, even if the weather didn't completely cooperate for the astronomical show.

As noted by the official Niagra Falls Canada X account, the peculiar record was last set in 2020 by the China Life Insurance Company Limited, with only 287 people.

"Congratulations to everyone involved, making this special day even more memorable!" the City wrote, sharing clips and photos of the moment, which was surely as once-in-a-lifetime for participants as the eclipse itself.

Lead photo by

@adeenejaz21/X


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

Here's why an abandoned-looking plane is being spotted in a Toronto parking lot

Eugene Levy's favourite Toronto places according to the New York Times

TTC riders are getting heated as surprise subway closure stretches on through the day

Toronto just matched a weather record that's been in place for 146 years

What's open and closed on Victoria Day 2024 in Toronto

Astonishing photos add to hype over record-breaking $6.4B Ontario-U.S. border bridge

Olivia Chow just named her favourite spots in Toronto

TTC descends into complete morning chaos due to subway outage