We did it!

The Warays made history Sunday by breaking the Guinness World Records (GWR) on the largest wine tasting event.

The official figure: 7,187 participants.

Prior to Sunday’s event, the Guinness World Records wrote An Waray Party-List – Octubafest Tagay’s organizers:

“The current record for ‘Largest wine tasting event’ is:

The largest wine tasting event involved 5,095 participants at the Plaza de Toros in Aranda de Duero, Spain on September 15, 2006.“

That changed Sunday, October 18, 2009 when over 10,000 Waray-warays trekked to the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park at the Government Center in Pawing, Palo to participate in the world breaking attempt and also to raise relief aid for the victims of the recent typhoons that devastated Luzon.

After validating registration records, the Philippine Institute of Public Certified Accountants (PICPA) certified that 7,187 actually participated in the wine tasting event of our native coconut wine – tuba. There were at least 3,000 more who were there to witness the event.

Before the record can be officially changed, organizers have to submit to GWR all evidence – registration records, official certifications and documentary evidence to back up the formal claim.

Once done, we hope it would put the Warays on the world map!

Official photographic and video documentation was done by the calle Zaragosa Productions group.

Visit the full gallery: http://gerryruiz.callezaragosa.com/p1060428914

The moving force behind Octubafest’s Tagay! – Cong. Bem Noel of An Waray Party-List

Gov. Jericho “Icot” Petilla

PICPA’s final verdict: 7,187 participants – a new world record!

K Brosas leads the entertainment portion

Bulingling group

calle Zaragosa Productions master control booth

Preparations for the holding  of the 2nd Octubafest shift to high gear as organizers buckle up to accomplish two major objectives in this year’s tuba-tasting feat: that of establishing a new world record of having the most number of participants tasting wine together; and raising relief aid for typhoon victims of Ondoy and Pepeng in Luzon.

Octubafest’s “Tagay,” to be held Sunday, October 18, 2009 at the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park, aims to assemble over 7,107 participants (symbolizing the country’s number of islands) and all together taste the native wine, tuba in an attempt to break the current Guinness World Record of  5,000+ wine tasters being held by Spain.

At the same time, the event aims to raise relief aid donations – rice, canned goods, clothing, toiletries, etc. – for the thousands of victims of the recent typhoons which hit Luzon.

Organized by the An Waray partylist, in cooperation with the Leyte Provincial Government, Department of Tourism, Department of Agriculture and other agencies, the annual Octubafest chiefly aims to advance and showcase the cultural heritage and the tuba industry of Eastern Visayas.

Participants are urged to register and bring their typhoon aid donations directly to the event venue at the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park at the Government Center in Palo where registration centers are going to be set-up this Sunday, October 18 starting at 1:00 in the afternoon.

The simultaneous wine-tasting activity is set to start at 3:00PM.

calle Zaragosa Productions has been commissioned to document the world record breaking attempt.

More photos >>> http://gerryruiz.callezaragosa.com/p984575305