Long Beach Zombies Going for 2 World Records Today

The Living Dead are returning to Long Beach for the 4th Annual Long Beach Zombie Walk. This all-ages event will take over Pine Avenue today.

Organizers say this will be the biggest event in the series: the Zombie Walk has expanded to a daylong street festival, complete with music and film, food and drinks, vendors and art, and not one, but two world record attempts. 

The first record attempt aims to break the mark for largest Zombie walk in the world, currently held by Seattle, at 4,700 people. Then the group will go for the largest choreographed "Thriller" Mass Dance in the world, currently held by Brazil at 11,000 people. Teachers will be on hand to help dancers learn the right moves.

Logan Crow, executive director of the Long Beach Cinematheque, said the community has really come together to support the event, and the response has been overwhelming.

“This year it will be bigger and better, with a bigger venue and area,” he said. “This is a free event for people of all ages, and there is sure to be something for everyone.”

Gates will open at Broadway and Pine Avenue at 2 p.m.  Once inside, there will be a five-block-long scene of music, art, vendors, food, drinks, and over 100 make-up artists that will gladly turn  anyone and everyone into a zombie.

Then at 7 p.m., everyone is welcome to join “Thrill the World,” a group that will lead a mass dance to Michael Jackson’s "Thriller." This dance will be taking place all over the world, with the epicenter in Long Beach on Pine Avenue. The dance will be streamed live on zombiewalklb.com.

“There will be local musicians playing throughout the day, there will be make up artists, it will be an incredibly visual event,” Crow said. “There will be various elements throughout the day for everyone to enjoy, whether they want to get their makeup done, or shop through the vendors, see bands, see the thriller dance, or the actual walk itself. This will be a great day for everyone, and the best part is it is free.”

The event will be followed by a Dead Man’s After-Party, which will feature a live performance by Johnny Vatos’ Tribute to Halloween featuring former members of the ultimate Halloween band Oingo Boingo, on the stage of the historic building formerly home to the Press Telegram. There is even a Zombie Art Exhibit.

Tickets for the after-party are $15 online, or $10 with the purchase of a Long Beach Comic-Con ticket at this special site: zombiewalklb.com/buy-packages/.  Tickets are $20 the day of, but Crow said the event is sure to sell out, so buy early.

Proceeds to benefit the Long Beach Cinematheque, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the celebration and study of classic and independent cinema,
and a portion of the proceeds will also go to Friends of Long Beach Animals, and Special Olympics Southern California.