Updated: At first, organizers thought they were 300 zombies short of a world record. The call for more zombies went out late Friday night over Twitter. “They’re 300 zombies short of the record! Put on some blood and come to Fremont now!” explained one Tweet.
But turned out, reinforcements weren’t needed. Fremont has broken the world’s record for the most zombies in one place. The count: 3,848 zombies had officially registered, although organizers with Fremont Outdoor Movies believed that as many as 6,000 flooded the neighborhood with blood, guts and gore. The count continued late into the night.
Well over a thousand zombies danced to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The event was scheduled before his death, and it became a tribute of sorts. The dancing, well, was less than coordinated.
Many zombies spared no expense on makeup.
And, of course, everyone professed their love of brains.
Dozens of volunteers did their best to keep traffic flowing as the walk began, although an occasional zombie mob “threatened” passing drivers on 36th.
When it was over, thousands of zombies went home happy they’re now world record holders, and the Fremont Outdoor Movies volunteers worked into the morning hours cleaning up the aftermath of the zombie rampage. Photos from Narisa (see more) and Fremont Universe. You can see more here, too.
Beginning this evening, thousands of zombies will converge on Fremont in an attempt to break the world record for a zombie flash mob. Organizers with Fremont Outdoor Movies expect as many as 5,000 zombies as part of the “Red, White & Dead” party. Here’s the event lineup and schedule:
Author S.G. Browne will be reading from his latest book “Breathers” at Fremont Place Books beginning at 4 p.m.
Registration begins at 6 p.m. at the Fremont Outdoor Movies lot at N 35th St. and Phinney Ave. There’s a $5 recommended donation.
Fremont First Friday art walk begins at 6 p.m. Details here.
Walk begins at 7 p.m., growing as the night goes on. Walking tips here.
At 9 p.m., it’s the much-anticipated Thriller Dance back at the lot. S.G. Browne will also say a few words.
“Shaun of the Dead” begins playing on two screens at 10 p.m.
Don’t know how to look like a zombie? Here are some tips, and there will be makeup tables (for a donation) available, too. We’ll be there snapping photos, and if you have a photo or two to share, email us at tips@fremontuniverse.com.
With the demise of the Elliott Bay fireworks show, Fremont and Wallingford are expecting record crowds this 4th of July for the Chase Family Fourth at Gas Works Park. Today, Seattle Police released its traffic plan for Wallingford which strictly limits traffic to “residents and others with legitimate business in the community” beginning at noon on the 4th. Police officers will be assigned to screen vehicles at numerous streets, roughly from Stone Way to Corliss Ave., and from 34th to 39th (full list here). “Residents that are expecting guests should provide their guests with an invitation showing the address they are going to,” Seattle Police explains. At 6 p.m., the lockdown zone expands out a block, and access will be controlled at Stone Way on the west and 40th Street on the north. In short, if you’re not planning to attend the fireworks show, you should make every attempt to avoid the area.
After debuting in Magnuson Park last week, Fremont Outdoor Movies held its opening night in Fremont with the movie, Edward Scissorhands.
It was a beautiful, clear night for the opening event of the summer.
Before the movie, 7 stylists from Rudy’s across different Seattle neighborhoods competed in the “Scissorhand Stylist Showdown.”
The audience judged which style stood out above the rest. The winner was Gino and Liberty (photo) from right here in Fremont.
Many arrived early to stake out a good spot for the movie. People brought sleeping bags, chairs, tables and even dinner.
You could get your picture taken with Edward Scissorhands himself.
Great family fun. And next week, don’t forget it’s Fremont Outdoor Movies’ attempt at a world record Zombie Flash Mob — and the Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance. Now that will be a party.
Thousands of zombies are expected to take over the streets of Fremont on Friday, July 3rd in an attempt to break the zombie flash mob world record. Seriously. Organizers of the “Red, White and Dead Zombie Party” are hoping for more than 5,000 zombies to rumble through the neighborhood before the Fremont Outdoor Movies showing of the cult hit “Shaun of the Dead.”
To participate the night of the flash mob, register at 3501 Phinney Ave N between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to get your picture taken in order for Guinness to confirm the world record. Don’t know how to be a zombie? No problem! There will be a workshop from 6-8 p.m. with a “fashionably dead” fashion show at 7:30 p.m. The actual Zombie Walk starts at 9 p.m., and the movie begins at 9:45 p.m.
And to add to the fun, author S. G. Browne of the zombie novel “Breathers” will be holding a book signing at Fremont Place Books starting at 4 p.m. “Help us make history this night,” organizers say. “Dress up and help us patrol the streets in true zombie march form and stun the streets of Fremont.”
Perfect weather attracted a big crowd at the Fremont 5k and Briefcase Relay.
The most entertaining event is the relay, attracting costumed runners packing briefcases full of canned food — all to support the non-profit Solid Ground.
The relay team called, ahem, “Test Icicles” came in first place, with Troy Ruckman (above) crossing the finish line with a time a bit over 16 minutes. His team’s secret of success? “I think it’s probably our stylish design, our low friction sleeves and high compression socks,” he told us.
The most popular costume is standard business wear, but we also saw caped superheroes, baseball players and construction workers.
After the relay and 5k run, participants enjoyed food and drinks at a beer garden at Adobe Plaza. Last year, the rain kept attendance low, but this year it looks like a great turnout. More photos on the new Fremont Universe page on Facebook.
Today’s annual Fremont 5k and Briefcase Relay has a new twist. “In support of our event benefactor Solid Ground, we are changing the rules of the Briefcase Relay and asking that each team carry five cans of food inside their briefcase rather than a copy of the Seattle Yellow pages,” organizers explain.
If you’re new to the event, you can run in the 5k without a briefcase, or you can participate in the relay. Since it’s Fremont, costumes are encouraged. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. at Adobe Plaza (34th and Fremont Ave.), and the Briefcase Relay inspection is at 5:30. The Briefcase Relay kicks off at 6, and the 5k run and walk begins at 7. After the race, there’s food, drinks and prizes. Registration is $35 per person the day of the event. Lots more details here.
By the way, John Curley, formerly of Evening Magazine fame, will be running in the 5k with a new schtick of his called “I Beat John Curley.” For people who sign up on his website, if they beat him in the race, and their name is drawn, Curley donates $500 to $1000 dollars to their favorite charity. (Photo of the Briefcase Relay from 2007 by Wxwillet.)
Some notable events happening tonight and into the weekend…
The Fremont First Art Walk runs this evening, 6 to 9 p.m. Among the exhibits is an exhibition featuring 22 artists’ interpretation of the old Bridge Motel and the new homes that replaced it. (Photo above by Todd Bates.)
Up on the Ridge, the Phinney Neighborhood Association is hosting “Reptile Man” Saturday at 10:30 a.m. It’s part of an educational series called “Ridge Romp,” and the kids can see (and even touch) snakes and other reptiles.
Saturday night in Fremont, the folks who bring you the Solstice Parade are throwing a fundraiser called the Carnival of the Sun, with music, drinks, performances and a sneak peek into this year’s parade. It runs 7 p.m. to midnight on April 4th at 716 N 34th St. $10 entry.
The Moisture Festival is back for a sixth year with its popular Comedy/Variete shows. It’s starting its four-week run at the ACT Theater in downtown Seattle on Wednesday, then on March 15th, the Moisture Festival returns to its original venue, Hale’s Palladium in Fremont. New to the Moisture Festival?
It’s aerialists, jugglers, comedians, dancers, rope acts, bubble acts, clowns, acrobats, can can girls, strong women, strong men, tap dancers, drill teams, musical numbers, and the weird and the wonderful. Whew. Over its entire run, the Moisture Festival will put on 36 shows featuring 125 performers from around the world. More details and ticket information right here.
This Saturday night, come down to Fremont Canal Park from dusk to 11 p.m. to see an energy-efficient lighting display created by Nth Degree Creative of Everett. You can also buy LED glow sticks, lumi-loons, LED-lit balloons and fiber optic necklaces to help light up the canal. The funds go to help support Northern Lights Northwest. More info here.
Several Fremont boutiques have teamed up for a shopping night to benefit Pediatric Brain Tumor Research. Essenza, Les Amis, Merge and Tininha’s are all participating from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday night. Refreshments will be served and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the cause.
Updated: Just returned from the annual lighting of the Lenin statue, complete with the McClure Middle School band and hot chocolate for the kids.
And Santa and his helper. In true Fremont fashion, Santa was handing out tangerines, not candy canes. As for Lenin, this year the lighting is a little more ominous, casting a red glow on the trees around it.
Which inspired us to go around and snap some other photos.
Looking up 35th St.
The Rocket, of course.
Even the Fremont Bridge is in the holiday spirit.
It’s getting c-c-cold outside, a perfect time to break out some of those tasty winter brews. This Friday and Saturday, you can sample big, bold winter warmers from over 30 Washington breweries (list) at the 2008 Winter Beer Festival at Hale’s Ales. The Washington Beer Commission event goes from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday and 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $23 advance and $25 at the door — you get six beer tastes (5 ounces each) and can buy additional tokens on the spot. And be careful, because winter beers pack a punch!
Trolloween kicked off at 7 p.m. tonight with some revelry, a dance-off and a melodrama all under the watchful metal eye of the Fremont Troll, who celebrated his 19th birthday tonight.
The Fremont Arts Council organizers, dancers, and drummers Vamola proceeded to parade through downtown Fremont where they were watched by spectators from bars, restaurants, and homes.
The parade proceeded to the Outdoor Cinema, where volunteers gave a dance lesson to the crowd. After the exercise, the melodrama continued with another short scene intended to encourage the crowd to pursue the protagonists to the Fremont Bridge’s underbelly, where another dance group performed the Vampire Tango. The short play concluded with a dramatic stabbing scene:
When the mini-play was completed, the Fremont Philharmonic began playing ‘Thriller’ for the concluding dance party under the bridge.
Best costumes of the night: The Robot, who was so popular that the crowd nearly threw the play off-track trying to encourage the protagonist to dance with it; and Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything, who spent the entire parade hoisting a boombox. Hats off to you two!
If you have additional photos from Trolloween or competitors for best costume, please share them with us in the comments!
The Church of the Apostles hosted their third annual Blessing of the Animals at the foot of the Fremont Troll this afternoon. The ceremony was held today in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is traditionally observed on Oct. 4 in the Roman Catholic church.
After a reading, a quick glance over the life of St. Francis of Assisi and a group prayer, Abbess Karen Ward sprinkled a handful of dogs and cats, and said a quick prayer over them. The church also hosts Taize meditation service every first Sunday of the month, including tonight, at 6 p.m. in the Fremont Abbey.
In other neighborhood church news, evening services resume tonight at Fremont Baptist Church, also at 6 p.m.
The Seattle band SHIM plays at the Fremont Oktoberfest while a member of the, ahem, “Seattle Drinking Team” takes a break from the beer.
Cool photo courtesy of jaycoxfilm.
Beginning this evening, thousands of zombies will converge on Fremont in an attempt to break the world record for a zombie flash mob. Organizers with Fremont Outdoor Movies expect as many as 5,000 zombies as part of the “Red, White & Dead” 
With the demise of the Elliott Bay fireworks show, Fremont and Wallingford are expecting record crowds this 4th of July for the 
Thousands of zombies are expected to take over the streets of Fremont on Friday, July 3rd in an attempt to break the zombie flash mob world record. Seriously. Organizers of the “
