On Friday evening, over 800 people crowded onto Main Street in downtown Vernal for the Dino Dash, the marquee event of Dinah SOAR Days — and by the time the counting stopped, Dinosaurland had officially smashed the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as dinosaurs. The final tally: 804 dinosaurs, beating the previous record of 682 set by the University of Calgary earlier this year.
T-rexes. Raptors. A whole lot of inflatable tails swishing down a historic highway. For one night, the town that's been home to Dinah the Pink Dinosaur since 1958 turned into the largest prehistoric gathering on the planet — and it happened right here, in the place that's been Dinosaurland longer than the record books have been paying attention.
Second Time's the Charm
Vernal’s first attempt had the crowd, but fell short on a technicality during the official count. To make matters tougher, Calgary soon stepped in and raised the bar even higher. Refusing to let the title slip away, organizers completely revamped their registration, streamlined gate flow, and built a fail-proof counting process—returning with an operation designed not just to clear the new target, but to crush it.
"This was 100% about bringing this home," said Cheryl Meier, Executive Director of Uintah Special Service District 1, the group behind the event. Not one organization's win — the whole community's.
Why It Matters for Dinosaurland
Vernal has always called itself Dinosaurland. Now there's a certificate to back it up. It's proof of something we already knew: this is a town that shows up, and shows up big, for the thing that makes it unique. That's the same energy behind everything we're building into 2026 — the idea that Vernal isn't just a place to see dinosaur bones behind glass. It's a place where the past shows up in the present, loud and alive and a little bit ridiculous in the best way.
Dig Deeper
Dinah SOAR Days returns every year, and if this year is any indication, the 2027 dino count has nowhere to go but up. Want to be part of the next attempt — or just want to see where Dinosaurland's wild side lives year-round? Plan your trip to Vernal and experience all Vernal has to offer.
Article By: The Dinosaurland Visitor Bureau team, your official source for trip planning in Uintah County
August 31, 2026