New Haven Hopes To Break Record With Ah-Beetz Party: 'Pizza Is Our Love Language To The World'

NEW HAVEN, CT — Spearheaded by New Haven pizza author and historian and Taste of New Haven founder Colin Caplan, the plan is to beat Tulsa, OK, in holding the world's largest pizza party. Fitting for the ah-beetz capital. Oklahoma pizza? Who knew?

Tuesday, Mayor Justin Elicker, Caplan, Doug Coffin and Liane Varipapa of Big Green Truck Pizza, city Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli and Deputy Director of Economic Development Cathy Graves, and Louis Mangini, Office of Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro held a news briefing on the New Haven Green to announce the city's plan — break the existing GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the Largest Pizza Party.

The event is set for Sept. 12 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Green, in conjunction with the A-1 Toyota Apizza Feast at the New Haven Grand Prix. New Haven is attempting to host a pizza party for up to 5,000 people and to beat the existing pizza party record of 3,357 people, which was set in 2023 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"Pizza is our love language to the world," Caplan said.

Pizza party attendees will be provided with early access to the Apizza Feast that then opens to the public at 7 p.m.

Over the course of three hours, from 4 to 7 p.m., each of the up to 5,000 pizza party attendees will be required to eat at least two slices of pizza – and be observed doing so – to ensure proper counting, documentation, and authentication according to GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS rules. If 10 percent of the pizza party attendees leave, the event is immediately disqualified.

Tickets to attend the pizza party are on sale now at tasteofnewhaven.com/apizzafeast. Ticket prices range from $10 to 20 and entitle the purchaser to two slices of pizza, a bottle of water, and drink ticket.