Thousands of people gather for a South African barbecue, aiming to set a world record

A woman poses at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria where thousands of South Africans gathered on 24 September, 2026, to try and break the Guinness World Record for the biggest ever braai, or barbecue. Kate Bartlett/NPR hide caption toggle caption Kate Bartlett/NPR PRETORIA, South Africa — To mark the national public holiday known as Heritage Day in South Africa, thousands of people participated in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the biggest-ever braai on Thursday. At a rugby stadium in the capital Pretoria, the charcoal was lit as the braai-masters excitedly gathered at their stations. There was great fanfare as the event's emcee counted down to the start of the challenge: "Ladies and gentlemen, happy heritage day… let's be a part of history, today we break the record for the biggest braai in the world. Nobody braais like South Africans, guys." Braaiing _— an Afrikaans word meaning to grill — is like barbecuing, but there's strictly no gas allowed. All meat must be cooked on an open flame on wood or charcoal. According to a Guinness World Records adjudicator overseeing the attempt, the rules were strict: participants had to barbecue simultaneously for at least f...