Kissing festival kicks off 'Lovapalooza 2'

Thousands of couples got Valentine’s Day celebrations going early, locking lips at midnight Saturday in what organizers dubbed “Lovapalooza 2.”

More than 5,300 couples kissed for at least 10 seconds last Valentine’s Day in Manila for an event known as “Lovapalooza,” breaking Chile’s record of 4,445 in the Guinness World Records book.

This year’s event was aimed at “a million kisses, a million heartbeats, and probably a million people falling in love for the second time around,” said a statement from toothpaste maker Unilever Philippines, one of the event’s organizers.

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The kissing festival was held simultaneously in at least four cities nationwide. Despite the large crowds, the figures appeared to be well below the target.

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“We’re not beating any record this time, we’re building a tradition only,” said Unilever’s Mia Fuentes. “A lot of people have been wanting to go and relive the whole thing.”

Cheers erupted from the crowd along a Manila bayside boulevard as fireworks went off over Manila Bay when the couples kissed.