The 2015 Taste of Lockport is looking to break a world record for most people singing over a radio broadcast. The event will be held July 5. (ENP FILE PHOTOS /HEATHER N. GRIMMER)

By +Scott Leffler 
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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Moving the Taste of Lockport from August to July 5 was just the first of many grand changes being planned for the 15th annual event.

The 2015 Taste of Lockport is adding new food categories for judging.

Possibly the grandest change of all is a plan to set a Guinness World Records achievement during the event — for the most people singing on a live radio broadcast.

Jen Serrano, whose company Jenny Marketing Group, LLC, was hired by the Lockport Business Association to run the Taste of Lockport this year, is still hashing out some of the details for the event, but has contracted with Guiness World Records to send an official records keeper to Lockport to note the achievement.

In order to break the record, currently held by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, there need to be at least 6,690 people singing simultaneously ... on the radio. The current record was set in the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hong Kong on Dec. 6. The vocal performance formed part of the "Ode to Joy Concert of Ten Thousand," which was broadcast on Radio 2 and RHK 31. The song performed was 'Ode to Joy' and lasted for 3 mins 18 secs.

The song that will be sung on July 5 is "Low Bridge," also known as "The Erie Canal Song."

The Taste of Lockport has been held at Ida Fritz Park for the past several years, but in order to have 6,690 people singing simultaneously, a venue change — or enhancement — is required. That many people simply wouldn't fit at Ida Fritz. So Serrano is seeking permission from the City to use Main Street — in addition to Ida Fritz Park.

Serrano is hoping the more people will also mean more vendors — specifically food vendors. It will also require more sponsors than previous years. But she is confident that sponsorship will not be an issue.

Another change to the event for 2015 is the introduction of new award categories. In addition to previous categories of Best Appetizer, Best Entree, Best Sandwich, Best Dessert, and Best Decorated Booth, will be Best Healthy Choice, Best Hometown Flare: Pizza, Best Hometown Flare: Wings, Best Hometown Flare: Favorites (specialty items), Best Sweet Sip (wines, ciders, etc.), Best Dry Wine, and a People's Choice Award.

The Taste of Lockport moved to July to serve as the final event in the City of Lockport's nine-day birthday bash. The city turned 150 years old on April 11. In all, 150 events are being planned over the nine-day sesquicentennial celebration.

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