STO. TOMAS, Pangasinan – All is set for this quiet town make a loud roar today at 4 p.m. as it attempts to set a world record in its 4,938 meter longest barbeque bid in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Vice Mayor Dick Villar, chairman of the Corn Festival, told The STAR that they are expecting about 100,000 people to crowd its streets as they set up a boundary to boundary continuous grill from Rosales to Alcala towns, the first ever in its history since this town was founded exactly 100 years ago.
Last Friday until yesterday, farmers were busy harvesting the needed 121,000 corn ears to be used, Villar said. But they actually prepared triple the number in anticipation of the people’s clamor to taste their delicious white glutinous corn product.
Mayor Vivien Villar said she is very happy because more than 100 balikbayans now either working or residing abroad came home to participate in this once-in-a lifetime centennial celebration and be part of making history.
Villar said this will showcase anew their unity since everyone, from the barangays and balikbayans and even those from neighboring towns and provinces helped to ensure the success of their Guinness bid. She added that what they will actually do is to reclaim the world record in the same category taken by Dagupan City when it successfully staged its longest barbeque using its own product, bangus (milkfish) in 2003 with its 1,007 meter-long barbeque grill.
This town will try to recapture the crown currently held by Hermosillo, Mexico which had its almost 1,300-meter long barbeque.