Spring Break
Piñata doesn't break; upsets crowd
Fred Rich
Issue date: 11/7/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Constructed by Carnival Cruise Lines, the piñata towered six stories in the sky and weighed over 25 tons. Composed of a welded steel frame and vacu-formed plastic, this giant took three weeks to build.
Placed in a vacant lot on South Broad Street, between Washington Avenue and Carpenter Street, this Guinness World Record-breaker attracted crowds of more than 10,000 people. The day began with live entertainment, T-shirt giveaways and free food for those who had the patience to stand in line and obtain a white bracelet. Those who arrived later in the day found themselves on the sidewalk with thousands of others, observing behind a fence.
Most who showed up assumed the piñata would be opened in a similar fashion, as to that of your typical piñata, albeit on a grander scale.
The stage was set for a massive demolition, as a two-ton wrecking ball was positioned in a corner of the enclosed lot. Whispers ran throughout the crowd with excitement hanging on every word, as thousands anticipated the moment of collision, followed by tons of candy raining down. However, this dream did not come to pass.
The original plan was for the wrecking ball to swing near the piñata but the two did not to come in contact. Due to the steel frame of the piñata, the wrecking ball was present only for appearances. The piñata was equipped with trap doors, responding to a wireless remote that would open and give the illusion of being struck. While those present at the location would be able to discern the trickery, those watching at home would be captivated by this "smoke and mirrors" technique.
While the opening of the piñata was scheduled for 1:30 p.m., it was not until much later that a formal announcement was given and, as time went by, people began to get anxious. At 2:45 p.m. there was an announcement given via megaphone. The piñata was not going to be opened-at all.
"In the interest of public safety, the Philadelphia Police Department requested that we postpone breaking open the piñata due to unexpectedly large turnout for the event," John Heald, senior cruise director of Carnival Cruise Lines released following the event.
There was concern of a stampede that could injure the masses of children at the event once the candy was released. With much reluctance, along with the encouragement of police officers, most people slowly began to file out onto the streets. However, there were also kids who ransacked boxes of candy that were initially distributed to keep the massive crowd from rioting, due to the lengthy delay.
Occurring two days after the Halloween, many came in hopes of stuffing their pockets or packing their bags full of additional candy-yet most walked away with disappointment. Parents attempted to console their crying toddlers, who did not understand why they could not have any candy. Teens were disgusted for having to stand around for hours, only to be ushered out in a matter of minutes. College students laughed at the events of the day, not as distraught as the younger children or as outraged as the high school students.
The World's Largest Piñata did make itself into the Guinness Book of
World Records Nov. 2. It snatched the title from Microsoft's Xbox 360 team, which built a piñata approximately measuring 48 feet tall by 52 feet long in Mexico City in 2006. The piñata in Philadelphia measured at approximately 60 feet tall by 60 feet long and outweighed the one in Mexico by more than 20 tons.
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