World Record? 755 Participate in Manassas Red Light-Green Light Game

Some 755 people showed up Saturday to play the children's game Red Light-Green Light—far more than the 452 needed to beat the Guinness World Record for the largest game ever played.

Though it's not official, it appears the City of Manassas has overthrown the current Guinness world record holder, t

City officials said the required documentation is on its way to the Guinness World Records’ team of adjudicators in London to verify the city's attempt was successful.

The game was the kickoff to the First Virginia Community Bank Fourth Annual Big Day of Serving organized by employees from the Manassas Neighborhood Services division. 

As a warm up for the stop and go game, the crowd participated in the Harlem Shake led by Glenn Vickers, regional director of the Boys & Girls Club, and Lianne Best. 

A video of the dance will be sent as a thank you to the

Guinness requires the entire Red Light-Green Light game be recorded and that all participants register and wear wrist bands with numbers, while they play inside a restricted area under the supervision of independent witnesses and one steward per 50 people, according to city officials.

Manassas City Councilman Ian Lovejoy was the official game announcer, calling out “green light” and “red light” as participants raced across the field toward the finish line as Osbourn High School cheerleaders held up Go” and “Stop” signs to signal the participants.

The whole game lasted about four minutes, city officials said.

After the fun and games, a group of volunteers from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield worked alongside others to paint the steps of the Traveler Street entrance of Weems Elementary School. 

Volunteers also spread infield dirt and created a backstop in the school's athletic fields as well as planted a teaching garden.

Manassas residents along with 574 volunteers carried out 17 work projects at four locations for a total of 3,444 work hours.

Included in that number are 30 visiting volunteers from Group Cares of Colorado and the 235 volunteers who installed a mosaic tile wall at Stonewall Park. The tiles were designed by more 700 local children and residents. 

The team also cleaned up a nearby creek, bike path and wooded area near  Stonewall Park and spent the day working at a nearby recycling center.

About 60 volunteers worked at Byrd Park to install recreation equipment, reline a basketball court, refurbish stairs, paint the pavilion and spread a mountain of playground mulch.

Another group restored the yard of a Manassas family grieving the death of a loved one.

Did you participate in the Big Day of Serving? Tell us about your experiences in the comments section.