LaughFest organizers claim new sunglasses record

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — There appears to be another arcane world record in Grand Rapids, this time for the most people wearing sunglasses at night.

Gilda's LaughFest organizers in the past three years have overseen record-setting attempts for donning false mustaches, wearing chicken beaks and tossing rubber chickens.

The fourth annual festival of laughter kicked off Thursday with an effort to break the sunglasses record. Participants received official bright yellow LaughFest sunglasses.

Guinness World Records says the current mark was set in July 2012 by 1,642 people at Chicago's Wrigley Field. LaughFest spokesman Tyler Lecceadone said the group's count shows that 1,675 people wore sunglasses Thursday night.

"We had a seriously fun time at this year's world record attempt," said Wendy Wigger, president of LaughFest and of Gilda's Club Grand Rapids. "It was great to see the growing community support and excitement surrounding the fourth year of LaughFest. It was the perfect to kick off the 2014 festival. We thank all of the participants who came out and donned sunglasses to help us break the world record. "

In 2013, 1,532 people at LaughFest put on false mustaches to set the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing fake mustaches at a single venue.

Gilda's LaughFest runs through March 16. It honors the memory of comedian Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989.