More than 1,000 beer-chugging party-goers adorned with togas re-lived the American cult classic “National Lampoon’s Animal House” in Cottage Grove on Sept. 3. The third-annual Animal House Celebration didn’t come close to breaking the Guinness World Record for The World’s Largest Toga Party, set in 2003 when the festival had 2,166 participants.
Several other cities have since been competing to beat the record, said Tim Flowerday, co-chair of The Hysterical Society, a not-for-profit organization that puts on the celebration and others like it to support Cottage Grove performing arts.
Last year, the society barely managed to break even, Flowerday said. The society hopes to raise money for programs like the summer arts program for children this year. The dip in attendance last year was expected as it usually takes five to seven years to establish a festival, said Flowerday.
According to the online edition of “Niagara This Week,” although still unofficial, Ontario, Canada broke the record in August with a total of 2,631 participants at a Port Dalhousie toga party. Attendance in Cottage Grove this year was about 1,100.
Not every participant bought tickets this year, however.
Members of the self-proclaimed Welcoming Committee, an intoxicated, toga-wearing group grilling across the street from the main stage, said they could hear the music for free from their setup.
The celebration kicked off with a re-enactment of the parade scene, which was originally filmed on historic Main Street in Cottage Grove in 1977. Many other scenes from the movie were shot at the University, including the famous food fight that took place in the EMU.
This year event planners incorporated another popular movie starring John Belushi, “The Blues Brothers,” into the party’s theme to celebrate the movie’s 25th anniversary. The New Blues Brothers, a Pacific Northwest band, provided evening’s music.
Oregon Sen. Floyd Prozanski took the stage as well, reading a letter from Gov. Ted Kulongoski that pardoned Jake and Elwood Blues, the two main characters of the movie, from their “debt to society, and more importantly, their $300 bar tab at Bob’s Country Bunker.” Both Prozanski and his wife, Judy, an instructor at the University, wore togas to the event. He said they were definitely sticking around for the late-night party.
Former University student Greg Hamilton attends the celebration every year, convincingly dressed as John Belushi’s character, John ‘Bluto’ Blutarsky. The first year he won the look-alike contest.
“I came back and they made me the Grand Marshall the second year, and I rode the float and got to hang out with the Playboy bunnies. …How easy is this job, really? Run around and get drunk.” Hamilton said.
“I’ll be back as long as they have this party,” he added.
A little-known blooper in “Animal House” was that the movie was set in 1962, but the Lincoln Continental painted and paraded by the Delta House Fraternity members was actually a 1964 model, explained Tom Weaks of Cottage Grove. The only way he could tell the year of the car was by a glimpse at the grill in an isolated frame during the parade scene. Weaks said it took him three months to construct the nearly exact replica of the original, tank-like Deathmobile, which served as a highlight of the parade.
“I challenge you to look at it and see if you can tell the difference,” he said.