LAHORE, Oct 19: The opening ceremony of the Punjab Youth Festival 2012 main round, which is the provincial level, will be held at the National Hockey Stadium here on Saturday night.

The Sports Board Punjab claims that at least 24,000 students and athletes as well as 60,000 audience will attempt to create a world record of singing the national anthem during the ceremony.

An official of the Guinness World Records will watch the expected record-breaking number of athletes, volunteers, students and guests.

All these people are busy in full-dress rehearsal of the activity at the National Hockey Stadium, a press release says.

The athletes will march past and a torch will be lightened after a rally. Later, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will declare the event open.

Earlier on Thursday night, a complete dress rehearsal of the opening ceremony was held at the venue.

Meanwhile, a dress designing event was held at the Expo Centre where participants, the winners of seven divisions, showed their skills in cutting and designing of clothes.

The women were given the time from 11am to 3pm to complete their assigned work.

Sadia Yousuf of Faisalabad was declared the best designer while Ghulam Fizza of Gujranwala was placed second and Asmat Batool of Rawalpindi division got the third position, the release said.