New Haven’s Pizza Power Play: From Guinness Records to Pizza Wars

New Haven, CT — America’s Pizza Capital is sharpening its pizza wheels for a fresh record-breaking bid: the world’s largest pizza party on Friday, September 12, 2025.

The attempt unfolds on the historic New Haven Green as the kickoff to the 10^th A-1 Toyota Apizza Feast and the New Haven Grand Prix cycling criterium.

The target: 5,000 eaters devouring two full slices each—far beyond Tulsa’s 2023 Guinness mark of 3,357 participants. Mayor Justin Elicker rallied residents: “Our city already makes the best pizza in the world—now let’s prove it with a record no one can touch.”

Official Guinness World Record Attempt Logo Click image for event details

The Mastermind: Colin M. Caplan

Visit Colin's Profile

Colin M. Caplan is the founder of Taste of New Haven tours, author of four apizza books, and producer of the award-winning documentary Pizza: A Love Story. In 2024, he co-wrote the musical Family Business (A)Pizza Play, a dough-flipping, song-filled romp through Wooster Street. His walking tours have guided over 50,000 guests to iconic pizzerias like Pepe’s, Sally’s, and Modern, helping elevate New Haven’s apizza to international acclaim.

How Guinness Keeps the Crust Honest

The rules are strict:

• Eat two entire slices (≈11 oz of pizza).
• Stay inside a cordoned 2.5-acre zone from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Be counted in and out by certified stewards and a Guinness judge.

More than 10,000 slices will be served by Big Green Truck Pizza, Abate’s, and other top-tier pizza providers. Participants rotate through pizza corrals every 15 minutes in organized waves.

🎟 Tickets & Logistics

$17.44 for adults, $12.12 for kids 6–17; kids under 5 are free if not eating official slices. Tickets include two slices, a drink token, bottled water, early 3 p.m. entry, and an official wristband synced to Guinness rules.

Beyond the Slice — Culture, Sport & Sound

• 3 p.m. — Guinness check-in opens
• 4–7 p.m. — Pizza Party challenge
• 5 p.m. — Grand Prix races at breakneck speed
• 7–11 p.m. — Public Apizza Feast (40+ vendors)
• All night — 13-ft neon pizza sculpture selfie zone
• Live music — folk, funk, and a 8 p.m. DJ set by Dooley-O

Net proceeds benefit Slice Out Hunger and the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program.

Why New Haven Apizza Is Legendary

New Haven’s signature apizza features a charred crust, San Marzano tomatoes, and light mozzarella. The famous white clam pie invented at Pepe’s in 1963 remains a national legend. Barstool’s Dave Portnoy rated New Haven’s apizza a historic 9.4.

The Marketing Blitz: Pizza Trail, Billboards & TikTok

CT’s new “Pizza Capital” highway signs, Times Square ads mocking NYC pizza, and a free “Pizza Trail” app are fueling the frenzy. TikTok has seen 210 million+ views for #NewHavenPizza in 18 months.

🍕 BISTRO BUDDY & the Rise of Pizza Wars™

BISTRO BUDDY has launched the Pizza Wars™ Portal to track pizza rivalries between New Haven, New York, Chicago, and beyond. It includes a fan-voted leaderboard, live-streamed competitions, and a dynamic “Apizza Index.”

In June 2025, PageRank Kings LLC filed U.S. Trademark Application #99223368 for PIZZA WARS™. The effort revives a lapsed 2013 California concept and now includes gamified contests, national visibility, and cross-town pride.

BISTRO BUDDY is inviting communities to host their own County Pizza Warz™ events, following strict brand guidelines, with full tech and marketing support. Applications open soon.

Economic Impact & Sustainability

City planners forecast $3.8 million in visitor spending and 22,000 hotel nights. Compostable supplies and a Yale waste partnership aim for 85% waste diversion.

How to Secure Your Spot in Pizza History

Only 5,000 tickets will be sold. Ready to make history with two slices and a crowd of thousands?

Join the record attempt. Be legendary.