Chicago Group Looks to Set Ukulele World Record

Ukulele

Today, a new world record with ties to Hawaii’s culture could be set in — Chicago, Illinois at The Fest for Beatles Fans. The Fest organizers together with Wonderwall Music Shop and Emporium will gather a thousand ukulele players to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest ukulele ensemble.

The effort is spearheaded by Hawaii local girl now living in Oak Park, Illinois, Gigi Wong-Monaco. Wong-Monaco’s Hawaiian roots called her back to playing the ukulele a few years ago and wanted to play with others who shared the same passion. By the summer of 2008, she found some ukulele players and started practicing together in an effort to set a record at The Fest. They did, with 28 players, half who just joined her core group onstage that weekend, including renowned artists and musicians.

Since setting her sights on the world record attempt, a group of 938 strummed for 1-minute at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in February of this year, and this past June at the London Uke Festival more than doubled their previous record with 851 ukulele players.

The attempt takes place tonight at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare at 8:30 p.m.