Some of the costumes at the zombie bash held during Walker Stalker Con.
Credit: Walker Stalker Con
If you happen to come across a bunch of zombies walking around Boston next week don’t be alarmed, they’re probably just convention attendees.
Walker Stalker Con, a three-day zombie and horror convention put on by a pair of men who run a popular podcast focused on the hit show “The Walking Dead,” is scheduled to make its Boston debut June 13 at the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel. It will be the third ever Walker Stalker Con following the first two that took place in Atlanta last year and Chicago in March.
More than a dozen cast members from “The Walking Dead” are scheduled to attend including Jon Bernthal, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Chad Coleman and Brighton Sharbino.
“The Walking Dead has such amazing fans,” said Sharbino, who played Lizzie Samuels. “I think we want to go everywhere because everyone you meet is so happy and cool. I can see why everyone [from the cast] goes out because fans of the show are so amazing.”
Sharbino’s character grew more intense with each episode in the most recent season and at one point she nearly suffocated a baby whose cries were attracting zombies. She attended the Chicago event and said that during a meet-and-greet many passionate fans requested she hold her hand over their mouths for a picture.
“It was really, really funny. I at least suffocated 150 people,” she said.
Actors Lauren Cohan and Steven Yeun of “The Walking Dead” speaking during a panel at Walker Stalker Con.
Credit: Walker Stalker Con
James Frazier cofounded the convention with Eric Nordhoff. The two host The Walker Stalkers podcast and got the inspiration for the event after taking a trip to Georgia to watch a filming of the show. They put the idea on Kickstarter and more than 160 people donated over $16,000 for the first convention.
Frazier said he expects up to 20,000 people to attend the convention over the weekend.
“These are some of most passionate, but genuine and good people who love something that’s kind of on the fringe,” he said. “But with the popularity of The Walking Dead, it’s kind of in the mainstream now.”
Fans can participate in meet-and-greets, panel discussions with cast members, get turned into zombies by makeup artists, attend a zombie bash and costume contest and see actors from other films including “The Boondock Saints” and “Night of the Living Dead.”
Follow Michael Naughton on Twitter @metrobosmike.
