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.
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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.
IT'S OFFICIAL! The City of #NiagaraFalls has broken the Guinness World Record for 'Largest gathering of people dressed as the sun' with 309 participants!
— Niagara Falls Canada (@NiagaraFalls) April 8, 2024
The previous record was held by China Life Insurance Company Limited, which achieved the record in 2020 with 287… pic.twitter.com/VKCT1d0d50
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.
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