Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Getting ready for ZombieFest II



This weekend at the Monroeville Mall (near Pittsburgh, Pa) is the Second Zombie Fest Convention. The big event of the Con is the Zombie Walk on Sunday. On our first walk in 2006 we set the Guinness Record at 894 Zombies (pictured above-that's me in the circle). In 2007 we broke our record with 1124. This year around 50 Cities around the world is going to compete with us. Pittsburgh is the Zombie Capital of the World. Native Pittsburgher George Romero has filmed all his ground breaking Zombie films here, starting with the classic "Night of the Living Dead". "Dawn of the Dead" the 2nd in the series was filmed in the Monroeville Mall in 1977. Every year we collect food for the Pittsburgh Food Bank. Last year was amazing - 50 Tons!
These conventions are a great deal of fun - especially for me. In 1977, I was one of the Zombie Hoard that attacked the Monroeville Mall. Special Effects Master Tom Savini knew my High School Art Teacher Gerald Hebert and after an assembly Savini asked members of the Art Club if anyone would be interested in appearing in a movie. I was one of two that said "Yes" and for three weekends in the fall of 1977, in the wee hours of the grave yard shift, I took part in the filming of "Dawn of the Dead". I'll write more about this experience later.
If you are in the area October 26, put on some make-up and fake blood and walk with us. And please bring a non-perishable food item. It's all FREE!
It's a blast!



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