Multiculti Saturday 2: Human Flower Guinness World Record

The Asian Art Museum, in conjunction with their Flower Power exhibit, organized a public flashmob to assemble in Civic Center Plaza and attempt to break the Guinness World Record for "Largest Human Flower," held by 2,197 people who gathered at the 2014 Rochester, New York Lilac Festival. There were even turnstiles which recorded every entrance/exit of the flashmob to make everything completely official.

The museum had capped the online registration that included a free admission pass to 4,000, which was probably shortsighted. Only about half the people who register online ever show up for anything, so it was touch-and-go if the record was to be broken. Tony and I showed up as late fill-ins and were hustled into a sea of pink trash bags.

Michael Empric, a Guinness World Record official, was in attendance to certify the proceedings and convey a sense of momentous occasion.

We were soon suffering from heat prostration without shade while waiting for latecomers running from the Civic Center BART station.

We were shoved together in a last push to create a flower-like shape for five minutes...

...and instead of being claustrophobic, the all-ages, all-races crowd were wonderful with each other.

And by a 108-person margin, I am now a Member of the Guinness World Record Family. Guess we can cross that one off the bucket list.