A horde of fans overran the Monroeville Mall for Living Dead Weekend Friday through Sunday for what may have been the final on-site iteration of an annual convention celebrating George A. Romero’s 1978 classic “Dawn of the Dead.” 

Pittsburgh stories through photos

With the mall reportedly set for demolition next year after the property’s acquisition by Walmart, this past weekend was one of the last chances for Romero diehards to congregate at the film’s beloved filming location. Some traveled from across the country and abroad to pay tribute to the film and the director’s legacy.

A man takes a photo of a smiling woman standing next to a bronze bust on a marble pedestal inside a mall atrium.
Paul Graham takes a photograph of Nicole Graham with the bust of George A. Romero at Monroeville Mall during Living Dead Weekend on Friday, June 12, 2026, in Monroeville. The Grahams flew more than 20 hours from Wellington, New Zealand, to attend the convention. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

Across three halls set in now-empty storefronts, vendors sold horror-themed merchandise as fans lined up to buy signatures from the cast and crew of their favorite Romero projects, taking selfies with the stars and sharing what the films meant to them.

A man kneeling hands several collectible items to a woman. Several people stand nearby, some holding "Dawn of the Dead" posters while waiting in a line.
A man in a wheelchair signs a large movie poster at a table while another man stands across from him. Several people are gathered in the background waiting in line.

Living Dead Weekend attendees like Brad and Mary Davis of West Virginia (left) and Tyler Freeman of Everett, Massachusetts (right) wait in line to get signatures and meet the cast from “Dawn of the Dead” at Monroeville Mall on June 12. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

“There’s so many people that are finally here for their first time and it’s exciting, but then you wish that they had been able to come here as many times as you have been able to and done it all,” said Matt Blaizi, a resident of Hershey who has made pilgrimages to the mall since 1999. 

Two men stand in front of a clothing storefront; one holds and looks at a stack of photos while the other looks on.
Matt Blazi of Hershey and Steve Zuranski of Mokena, Illinois, look through printed photographs of scenes from “Dawn of the Dead” to find the exact locations at the Monroeville Mall during Living Dead Weekend on June 13. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)
Anthony Sacco of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, impersonates a zombie for a scene recreation during a tour of “Dawn of the Dead” filming locations at Monroeville Mall during Living Dead Weekend on June 12. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

Attendees staggered through the mall throughout the weekend, milling about in stores, feasting in the food court and seeking out scene locations on guided tours.

A man walks down a hallway lined with people on both sides, some recording with phones and cameras.
Tour guide Lawrence DeVincentz of Fort Mille, South Carolina, recreates a scene from “Dawn of the Dead” for his tour of Monroeville Mall filming locations on June 12. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)
People stand outside a mall storefront. Large signs in the window read "Everything must go! All sales final!" and "Entire store 60% off lowest ticketed price."
A group of people, some in costume, walk move through a mall corridor; a woman in pink dress sits alone behind a glass display looking down at a cellphone.

Living Dead Weekend attendees explore Monroeville Mall during a tour of “Dawn of the Dead” filming locations on June 12. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

“It was very sad to see all the empty storefronts and I’m glad that there’s still some going,” said Jessica Monning, a Monroeville resident who grew up going to the mall. “I know the mall is set to be demolished next year so we’re really trying to soak up as much of it as we can while it’s still here.”

A person dressed in a red plaid shirt and jeans stands by a marble column in a mall hallway near the entrance to "Lil Bunny Indoor Fun & Party Place.
Gabriel Lopez of Milwaukee cosplaying an airport zombie, walks through the Monroeville Mall during Living Dead Weekend on June 13. Although this was Lopez’s third time at the convention, it was his first time in costume. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)
Person with colorful, detailed tattoos covering their legs and upper thigh, standing indoors on a tiled floor, holding a black plastic bag and a phone.
Person with zombie makeup, featuring fake blood and pale face paint, stands indoors wearing a "Monroeville Mall" t-shirt next to a white motorcycle.

Jan Papp of Cleveland (left) and Jessica Monning (right) of Monroeville show off their love for “Dawn of the Dead” and zombies during Living Dead Weekend at the Monroeville Mall. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

Cast and crew gathered on an elevated stage in Romero Court for panels to share stories and answer questions from attendees sitting in a sea of folding chairs, with additional photo opportunities available to paying fans.

A group of people gathers near the base of an escalator in a shopping mall, with a security guard standing by on the escalator and a Dick's sporting goods store in the background.
VIP attendees mingle during a VIP mixer meet and greet at the conclusion of day two of Living Dead Weekend at the Monroeville Mall on June 13. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)
A large group of people, including several in wheelchairs, pose for a photo in front of a bust and plaque inside a mall in front of storefronts.
A group of people, some standing and some sitting, take photos and videos with their phones from the lower and ground levels of a mall atrium.

Living Dead Weekend attendees take photographs of the gathered cast and crew from “Dawn of the Dead” and other George A. Romero projects alongside the bust of Romero in Romero Court at Monroeville Mall on June 12. (Photo by Jason Alpert-Wisnia/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

“When it comes to a location like the Monroeville Mall that means a lot to people, don’t wait until the opportunity is perfect because you might miss out,” Blazi said. “Take the opportunity to make that trip because you never know what’s going to happen on it.”

Jason Alpert-Wisnia is a photojournalism intern for Pittsburgh’s Public Source. He can be reached at jason@publicsource.org.

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