French town breaks world record for largest Smurf gathering

LANDERNEAU: A new viral Smurf world record was set by the people in a quaint town in western France for the largest assembly of individuals dressed as the iconic blue characters.

According to the organisers, more than 3,000 participants were counted over the weekend, making a new benchmark.

Landerneau is a town with 16,000 people in the far west of Brittany. Residents tried twice before to win the title of having the most Smurfs from Lauchringen, a German town. Lauchringen set the record in 2019 with 2,762 Smurfs.

However, on Saturday, French fans lastly attained their goal, bringing together an impressive 3,076 people clad in blue attire, with painted viral faces, white hats, and voices raised in “smurfy songs.”

The Smurfs, referred to as “Schtroumpfs” in French, were created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo in 1958. These diminutive, human-like creatures reside in a forest and have since developed into a global franchise that includes films, television series, advertising campaigns, video games, theme parks, and merchandise.

Among the enthusiastic participants at a recent viral event was 82-year-old Simone Pronost, who donned a Smurfette costume. She shared, “A friend encouraged me to join, and I thought: ‘Why not?'” Albane Delariviere, a 20-year-old student, traveled over 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Rennes to join in the celebrations, stating, “We thought it was a great idea to support Landerneau.”

Landerneau’s mayor, Patrick Leclerc, also dressed in full Smurf attire, remarked that the event “unites people and provides a welcome distraction from the current times.” Pascal Soun, the head of the organising association, emphasised that the gathering “allows individuals to enjoy themselves and enter an imaginary world for a few hours.”

Participants were grateful for the favourable weather, especially after last year’s event was hindered by heavy rain, which deterred many from attending what has now been confirmed as a world record for Smurfs.