Spend two days celebrating “Night”
Back (from the grave) by popular demand, The Living Dead Festival returns
to Evans City, Pa. – filming site of George A. Romero’s “Night of the
Living Dead” – on Oct. 30 and 31.
Ghouls will converge on EDCO Park, 154 W. Main St., starting on Friday at
11 a.m. to eat, drink and be scary. Stars of the cult classic will be on
hand all day to sign autographs and field questions from diehard fans.
Revelers will strut their guts during Evans City's official Halloween
parade at 7 p.m. Wear your most gruesome getup for a chance to win prizes
in the costume contest.
At 8 p.m., zombie devotees will rub elbows and swill champagne
(and “Night of the Living Dead” beer) with famous flesh-eaters in nearby Zelienople, Pa. The 92-year-old Strand Theater – which, itself, was
recently resurrected from the dead – will house a collection of rare
"Night" artifacts, including photographs, newspaper ads and promotional
items amassed by ghoul-enthusiast Andrew Jones. Andrew will be on hand to
talk about his collection and sign copies of his book, "Advertising 'Night
of the Living Dead."
We will be creating history with this exhibit, says Gary
Streiner, co-founder of The Living Dead Festival. Never before has there
been such an exhibit anywhere, ever.
After perusing the morbid memorabilia, guests will meet
Night alumni Judith Ridley (who, along with her onscreen boyfriend,
became the main course at a Zom-B-Q) and Terry Gindele (the first monster
to be whacked by Ben's tire iron). Just before midnight, there will be a
screening of Gindele's film A Day in the Life of a Ghoul, a comedic look
at a cadaver's existence 42 years after filming. Romero's black-and-white
masterpiece will follow.
Seating for the gala event is limited. Tickets are $100 and
available on a first come, first served basis on the festival's Web site,
www.TheLivingDeadFest.com.
On Saturday at 11 a.m., the creeps will return for more
Halloween high jinks at EDCO Park.
Meet and greet horror icons, get a lesson in grisly makeup
from special effects artists, listen to macabre music and watch cinematic
fan tributes to Night before enjoying the flick on a 15- by 20-foot
inflatable screen.
Nearly 300 rabid fans attended last year's Living Dead
Festival, and organizers hope the event's popularity will spread like a
radioactive plague.
You know, this second annual event might not have happened
without the success of last year's festival, Streiner admits. We met
many of the people that will make this year's event even better, and that
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
will go on for years to come.
