For about half a minute on Saturday, the State Capitol Grounds became the 10th largest population center in North Dakota.
Nearly 9,000 people showed up to flap their arms and legs in the snow, apparently shattering the world snow angel record.
The results will be unofficial until Tuesday, but event organizer Marilyn Snyder said 8,911 people made snow angels at the same time at the Capitol on Saturday afternoon. The previous record, set last year in Michigan, was 3,784.
“The people of North Dakota are fantastic. They stepped up to the plate and hit more than a homerun today,” Snyder said. “I asked the governor to ask the Legislature to proclaim us the Snow Capital of the World.”
Gov. John Hoeven and first lady Mikey did their part to break the record. He announced the start of the event, and the couple promptly plopped down in the snow to make their marks.
Also in the front row of angels on Saturday was Pauline Jaeger, who was celebrating her 99th birthday.
“It started out as kind of a joke, but when I found out it was really happening I got pretty excited,” Jaeger, the aunt of North Dakota Secretary of State Al Jaeger, said. “This is going to be my first snow angel, and what a time for it. This is really a great birthday party.”