Community at the center of record-breaking Lotería night

WENATCHEE — The calls came steady from the front of the room, each one followed by the soft tap of beans on tables and the low murmur of hundreds of players tracking their cards.

Then, every so often, a shout cut through it all.

“¡Lotería!”

Inside the Grand Apple Ballroom at the Wenatchee Convention Center, the crowd stretched wall to wall, filling the 10,000-square-foot space with families, friends and first-time players learning the game together. By the end of the night, organizers confirmed 735 people had taken part, more than doubling the previous Guinness World Record of 281 for the largest group game of Lotería.

The game opened with baile folklórico dancers, children in bright dresses and traditional outfits moving across the floor as the room filled in around them. It set the tone early, turning what could have been a simple game night into something closer to a shared celebration.

Host Luis Rodriguez framed it that way from the start, asking the crowd to look around at the scale of what had come together. The event had been months in the making, built by volunteers, community groups and local partners.

Organizers said the goal went beyond setting a record. Parque Padrinos, which partnered with Pinnacles Prep on the event, has focused its work on building connections across the valley, with an emphasis on inclusivity and supporting families navigating complex challenges, including immigration. The game, in that sense, was a way to bring people into the same space and give them something to share.

Wenatchee Mayor Mike Poirier served as the first card caller, guiding the opening round as players followed along across dozens of tables. Radio personality and NCW Arts Alliance board member Thom Kokenge took over for the second round, with East Wenatchee Mayor Jerrilea Crawford also stepping in during a later round.

The format was familiar. Players marked each space as cards were called, working toward a blackout board to win. But the cards themselves carried a local identity. Images of Wenatchee landmarks, shared spaces and everyday life replaced the traditional deck, giving each round a sense of place.

That artwork came from local artist Sara Hasslinger, who worked from ideas developed by a committee that included organizers and students.

“I didn’t come up with the ideas,” Hasslinger said. “They just told me what the community created.”

The deck moves between celebration and reflection. Familiar images like apples and the YMCA sit alongside cards that touch on more complex themes, including one labeled “el miedo,” or fear.

The project took nearly a year to complete and involved multiple revisions along the way, much of it done on a volunteer basis.

Around the room, the game moved quickly. Children leaned across tables to double-check their boards. Players compared cards between calls. Each time a winner was confirmed, the room reset and the rhythm started again.

By the time the final count was announced, the record almost felt secondary. What stood out was the room itself, filled with people who might not otherwise cross paths, all playing the same game and calling out the same word at the moment of victory.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media