Largest zombie gathering-world record set by
Pittsburgh walk
[Nov 13]PITTSBURHG,PA,US-- Led by Professor Emcee Square (organizer
Mark Menold, producer and host of The
It's Alive Show), the horde of zombies slowly made their
way from one end of the mall to the other.
In the end, the total number of zombies who signed
in was 1,124, surpassing last year's Guinness World Record™ attendance
by more than 25%.
"We were pretty sure we would top our old number,"
said Menold. "Other cities, including London, Toronto, San Diego
and Orlando, have tried but haven't even come close."
Next year, Menold proposes holding a Global Zombie
Walk Day with simultaneous walks in cities worldwide benefiting
charities in each city.
The Monroeville walk generated 1,229 pounds of
food for the GPCFB. The Zombie Walk was part of Pittsburgh's first
Zombie Weekend, which included a two-day zombie-themed convention
at the Pittsburgh ExpoMart featuring vendor exhibits, films, gaming
tournaments, author discussion panels, zombie makeup demonstrations
by the Tom Savini Special Make-Up Effects Program of the Douglas
Education Center and celebrity guests from the original George Romero
films Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead (filmed in Monroeville
Mall) and Day of the Dead.
The keynote presentation of The
It's Alive! Zombie Fest was by Max Brooks, author of The
Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z.
The Zombie Ball on Saturday night, sponsored by Straub
Beer and featuring the bands The Ubangis, The Forbidden 5, Motorpsychos
and Deathmobile (house band of The It's Alive Show), also included
a silent auction which generated $1,000 for the Pittsburgh affiliate
of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer research foundation.
Other charities benefiting from the weekend's
activities were the Animal Rescue League and Central Blood Bank.
Menold is pleased to report that "Zombie Fest was a
huge success. Our mission going into the Fest was for our sponsors,
vendors, guests, staff and attendees to have fun and help out local
charities, and we accomplished that mission."
The
It's Alive! 2007 Zombie Fest was presented by WBGN-TV and
Twilight Creations, and hosted by Professor Emcee Square and the
cast of The It's Alive Show.
Also sponsored in part by Pittsburgh East Nissan, Straub
Beer, Monster Mini Golf, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Permuted Press,
Incredibly Strange Video and Trash Palace.