Dance party for 1,000 dinosaurs follows Dundurn, Sask., challenge to world record

More than 1,000 people in dinosaur costumes gathered in Dundurn, Sask., on Saturday in hopes of breaking a world record — and a dino dance party broke out as well.

The crowd dressed in floppy Tyrannosaurus Rex outfits wanted to break the Guinness World Record for most people dressed as dinosaurs.

Gary Grady organized the event. He also owns Big Mur’s Tavern in Dundurn, about 42 kilometres north of Saskatoon. Grady said they counted 1,163 dinosaur costume participants — meaning they blew the previous world record out of the water.

The Guinness World Record website lists a 2019 event in Los Angeles, Calif., that had a mere 253 people dressed as dinosaurs as the previous official record. Grady is hopeful to soon claim dino-superiority once the numbers are verified.

People in dinosaur costumes roam the streets in dundurn.
A final count of 1,163 people in dinosaur costumes in Dundurn, Sask., blew past the previous record of 253. (Submitted by Sarah Benson)

 “So we will all submit our information to Guinness Book of World Records and then send everybody a certificate that they were in the challenge,” Grady said on CBC’s Saskatoon Morning.

Grady said after watching inflatable dinosaur costume videos on social media, the idea took off within the community, which has a population of about 675 people according to Statistics Canada.

“I think November or February we got the the idea,” said Grady. “We thought let’s try and do it and we threw it out under our social media stuff and everyone got traction with it and it went to fruition.”

LISTEN | Dundurn goes for Guiness record for number of people dressed up as inflatable dinosaurs:

Saskatoon Morning4:03Dundurn goes for Guiness record for number of people dressed up as inflatable dinosaurs

Leisha Grebinski talks with Gary Grady, who organized an event over the weekend in Dundurn where hundreds of people dressed up in inflatable dinosaur costumes in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record.

“It was a family event and [they] really enjoyed it and lots of children, lots of grandparents and dinosaur suits. It was super fun to watch,” Grady said.

People in dinosaur costumes are wandering around on a crowded street in Dundurn.
The dinosaur event organizer Gary Grady said that he gave every person who showed up a burger and a beverage for participating. (Submitted by Sarah Benson)

Everyone who showed up in dinosaur attire was entitled to a burger and a beverage, Grady said, and was also given a numbered registration and tamper-proof wristband.

At 5:00 p.m. they had a dance party coordinated by a friend of Grady’s.

“We had a really great cheerleader, a friend of ours that was up on the stage and getting them all to dance to like ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ and line dance and do the Macarena and the chicken dance,” he said.