Riviera Maya set to make worlds largest pizza
On Sunday, August 15, 2004, the Riviera Maya region of Mexico will celebrate the Italian holiday of “Ferragosto” by creating what just may be the world’s longest pizza!
Beginning at 5:30pm, Ferragosto in the Riviera Maya will take place in Playa del Carmen’s Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) between 4th Street and 12th Street.
The Events Committee of the Riviera Maya Tourism Board in conjunction with local hoteliers, restaurants, parks and the Hotel Association will feature a 1,312 foot long Sicilian pizza, stretching for over 8 blocks or the entire length of the Ferragosto festivities.
Locals and tourists alike are entitled to as many slices of the pizza as they can eat, completely free of charge, while the event is in progress. This will be the Riviera Maya’s second annual Ferragosto celebration and is expected to draw an even greater number of festival-goers than last year.
“We are very excited to commemorate this holiday in the Riviera Maya, which has seen a significant growth in visitors from the Italian market in recent years,” said Martin Ruiz Cuevas, Director General of the Riviera Maya Tourism Board.
“Not only will the event be fun for everyone involved and boast our largest pizza to date, it will also help promote the various establishments that are working on this project with us from all around the Riviera Maya.”
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Traditional Ferragosto in Italy is a Catholic festivity held annually and features music, food, wine and fireworks as well as a parade of the statue of the Virgin Mary throughout the streets. It has its roots in Roman harvest festivals, with Assumption Day beginning the summer season on May 15 and August 15 then signifying the start of Ferragosto in the Virgin Mary’s honour.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest pizza ever created was 122 feet in diameter with an area of 11,689 square feet. This year’s Ferragosto pizza in the Riviera Maya will be 1,312 feet long and .4 feet (approximately 5 inches) wide, a total area of approximately 36,724 square feet.
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