Denver Zombie Crawl 2011 doubled previous local total, sets new record (PHOTOS)

Newman puts Seattle's Zombie Crawl mark at a little less than 10,000, which topped the previous Denver version's 7,300. He acknowledges that the counting is being done a bit differently this year, with spectators also included. But he thinks that's appropriate: "They got into the action a little bit more than they've done before," he allows. "There were very few people who didn't at least have a little blood on their hands."

The results were very much to the liking of Tami Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. "We've gotten some really great feedback," she says. "The event is extremely successful, and it's growing -- and it helps the downtown economy by attracting visitors to restaurants and other venues."

She gives much of the credit to organizers, "who worked really closely in advance with stakeholders downtown." She adds, "They're a great group -- really unique. It's something you like to see in an urban environment, and a lot of people come here from throughout the region to be a part of it."

The number of participants is sure to get the attention of folks in Seattle -- and he hopes they step up their walking-dead game. "It makes it more fun that way," he says. "It gives us something to rally behind. And it'll be interesting to see what they come up with."

Look below to see our previous coverage, followed by plenty o' photos of Zombie Nation.

Original post, 10:51 p.m. October 24: It's not official yet, but Danny Newman, one of the main organizers behind this weekend's sixth annual Denver Zombie Crawl, is confident the turnout set a record previously held by the local version, only to have been snatched away by Seattle. "They got just under 10,000 earlier this year," notes Newman, "and we definitely blew that away."

By how much?

"We're trying to figure out the count right now," says Newman, whose other creations include RU Buzzed?, a phone app put together for the Colorado Department of Transportation. "We've got all of our footage, including some cool aerial shots the cops took from the top of the clock tower, and we're going through it. But we're pretty sure we're over 16,000 and under 30,000."

If those numbers hold up, the participation will also crush last year's total, which Newman estimated at 7,300. But just as important from his perspective were the good times generated by this year's edition.

"We went bigger and better, and it was very fun," he says. "I've been getting such great feedback from everyone. We've definitely learned from each prior year what to do and what not to do, and I think we're going to get a thumbs-up from everyone involved on the city side as well."

For a glimpse of the gore, look below and page down to see photos by Jim Wills (click here for a complete slideshow), as well as a video of the shuffling, groaning extravaganza.

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