A crowd in cow costumes took over the Great Frederick Fairgrounds on Sunday, October 25, as 1,902 people showed up dressed as cows in an attempt to set a new world record. The Frederick Flying Cows, the minor-league basketball team behind the event, say the turnout easily topped the previous mark of 1,352 cow-costumed participants.
A Record Attempt Two Years in the Making
A Record Attempt Two Years in the Making Cowfest 2026 drew 1,902 participants, breaking the previous record of 1,352. As reported by Yahoo, “At the Frederick Fairgrounds on Sunday, 1,902 people gathered in cow costumes,” easily surpassing “the old record of 1,352.” The team had come up short in a similar attempt last year, when the same outlet reported the 2025 version of the event drew 1,048 participants.
This year's event marked the Flying Cows' second annual Cowfest, held at the Great Frederick Fairgrounds, according to the team's own event page on goflyingcows.com. That site also notes last year's 1,048 participants, meaning this year's crowd nearly doubled. The Frederick News-Post listed the festival as running from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Great Frederick Fairgrounds.
Costumes, Candy Drops and a Milk-Chugging Contest
Costumes, Candy Drops and a Milk-Chugging Contest Would-be record breakers had options for how to dress the part. Per Frederick's Child, “Participants can purchase official Flying Cows onesies online to take part in the world record attempt or make or buy their own costumes.” For the 2026 record attempt, a full cow-print outfit counted, with shirts, hats, jackets and inflatables among acceptable items, according to the Flying Cows' event page.Beyond the costume parade, the festival's report notes the day included a helicopter candy drop, live music, farm animals, food trucks, local vendors, interactive games and a milk-chugging contest. The event blended a community street fair with the record attempt, giving families plenty to do between costume check-ins.
Money Raised, Record Still Unofficial
Beyond the spectacle, Cowfest also served as a fundraiser. More than $5,000 was donated to the Mental Health Association of Frederick County, described as the event's official nonprofit partner, the same report notes.
The 1,902-person tally hasn't been certified by any record-keeping body yet. The Flying Cows said they will submit official documentation to record-keeping organizations to review and verify Sunday's effort, meaning the new figure stands as a claimed result rather than a confirmed one for now.
The previous record of 1,352 people in cow costumes was set in July 2014 at Cowaramup's Deja-Moo Country Fair in Australia. As reported by ABC News Australia, “On Saturday a total of 1,352 people dressed in cow onesies to break the record at Cowaramup's Deja-Moo Country Fair.” That same report noted the record had previously belonged to Fairfax, Virginia, where 470 people dressed as cows in 2013.
A Growing Tradition for Frederick's Team
The Frederick Flying Cows are a professional basketball organization competing in The Basketball League, according to a release distributed via PR Newswire. That same release, published August 28, 2025, ahead of the October 26, 2025 Cowfest, framed the record chase as a community invitation, noting that with the old record standing at 1,352 participants, “the Flying Cows are inviting the community to help put Frederick in the record books.”
A Growing Tradition for Frederick's Team Cowfest has now been held twice, building on what has quickly become a signature fall gathering for the Frederick community. Whether Guinness or another record-keeping organization ultimately certifies the 1,902 figure remains to be seen, but for one Sunday afternoon at the fairgrounds, Frederick had no shortage of cows.
