WAMU's Record-Setting Barbecue

Washington Mutual Bank (Seattle) announced it would seek the Guinness world record for the world's biggest barbecue at “Teacherpalooza: The World's Biggest Barbecue for the World's Greatest Teachers” on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003, at Chicago's Hutchinson Field in Grant Park.

The free event, which will celebrate teachers throughout the Chicago area, will also feature a Spotlight on Teachers competition, a talent contest where public school educators will showcase their musical talents while having an opportunity to raise funds for their schools. Teachers — solo or as an ensemble — will perform on three stages, and the audience, via applause meters, will choose three winners.

Washington Mutual has become famous for holding events and involving teachers as they enter new markets. Their program prior to their 2002 entry into the New York market, including taking New York City teachers to Broadway shows, was spotlighted in a presentation at VM+SD's International Retail Design Conference last week in Miami Beach.

Washington Mutual opened 60 locations in Chicago in June and August 2003.

“Washington Mutual supports and appreciates the thousands of hard working teachers across Chicagoland,” said Tony Manisco, Washington Mutual's senior vp and group manager of retail banking in Illinois. “Chicago loves a good barbecue, and it's a fun way to bring tens of thousands of people together to celebrate teachers and break a world record while we're at it.”

To break the current Guinness world record for the world's biggest barbecue of 44,158 people (Sydney, Australia, in 1993), Washington Mutual will invite approximately 50,000 people to Grant Park.