The historic city of Khiva set a Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous melon tasting on August 9, with 259 participants sampling over a dozen varieties during the annual Melon Festival.
Seyda Subasi Gemici, Guinness World Records adjudicator for Turkey and Central Asia, officially verified the achievement.
Held across the Ichan-Kala historical complex and Arda Khiva tourist centre from August 7 to August 9, the event drew 186,000 attendees. Domestic visitors accounted for 150,000 of the crowd, alongside 36,000 foreign tourists.
Other activities at the festival
Farmers and agricultural workers from across the Khorezm region showcased local produce, allowing guests to interact directly with growers. Beyond the tasting record, the itinerary featured masterclasses, exhibitions, agricultural contests and live music, culminating in a closing performance by Russian singer MakSim.
Local authorities also awarded prizes to top festival exhibitors. The Khiva city administration claimed the grand prize. Yangiaryk district took first place, followed by the regional agriculture department in second. Urgench State University, the UzAuto Khorezm branch and the regional highway administration shared third place.
This record adds to Uzbekistan’s growing list of internationally recognised cultural events, following Namangan’s Guinness-recognised flower festival and Bukhara’s global gold embroidery exhibition earlier in May.
