COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. — TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!
Who can forget those words from the 1978 movie, Animal House?
John Belushi and his group of misfit fraternity friends throw a toga party after learning they were being punished by the school's dean.
Forty years later, that toga party is being thrown again this time in an effort to set a world record.
"Now we're looking to find at least 3700 people who are gonna wear togas this weekend," Dianne Danowski-Smith with the Bohemian Film Festival says. "People are driving by and yelling toga, toga, toga!"
Cottage Grove held the record for the largest toga party in 2003, but in 2012 an Australian University held what is now called the largest toga party in the world.
"It was exciting for us, it was really interesting," Gail Hoelzle owner of The Bookmine book store along main street said. She had just opened her shop 2 years before Hollywood came to town.
She says, she had no idea who the star of the movie was.
"We didn't have TV out where we lived, so I didn't know who John Belushi was,” Hoelzle said. “He came in here and shopped around and left.”
Some of the businesses along main street have changed, but the backdrop for the parade scene is still a tourist stop she says.
"There's a lot of movie aficionado's that come through town and they want to hear where things happened,” Hoelzle said. “It's interesting."
The film festival runs all weekend, showing 62 films from 18 countries.The film everyone is here to see, Animal House and there will be a showing Saturday afternoon for everyone.
The toga party wouldn't be complete without a performance from the original band that performed during the movie's party.
"The original band in the movie, Otis Day and the Knights are gonna be here, the Kingsmen are gonna be here,” Danowski-Smith said. “Given that 40 years have passed, the sentiment is stronger than ever."
So, bring your bedsheets and get ready to shout and help Cottage Grove reclaim the record once again!
For additional information about the event, visit: www.animalhousetoga.com.