Beware the San Francisco Pillow Fight Club

Most of us probably had the odd playful pillow fightOne of the finest examples of the Pillow Fight Club in
when growing up, usually with our siblings andaction happened in San Francisco on 14th February
occasionally a bit of venom would sneak into the fun.2007. After receiving meeting instructions by text and
But now battering each other around the head andover the internet over one thousand people gathered
body with a feather-filled weapon is just one of theoutside a major hotel in San Francisco close to the
many games played by adults participating in theFerry Building - all carrying over-stuffed pillows and
worldwide craze known as Street Wars.itching to participate in the pillow fight to end all pillow
Although there are other games such as an extremelyfights.
elaborate hide and seek and human Pacman, one ofWithin seconds of the official start time of '6.00 p.m.
the highlights of the Street Wars craze is undoubtedlyprompt' the participants launched into their mass battle
the Pillow Fight Club which originated in San Francisco.and the air was immediately filled with feathers and
However, unlike the Fight Club movie that inspired it, theraucous laughter. Officious-looking Pillow Fight Club
first rule of Pillow Fight Club is that you tell absolutely'regulators', wearing yellow hard hats and carrying
everyone about the Pillow Fight Club! The second ruleclipboards ensured that participants kept to the simple
is that you don't hit anyone who doesn't possess arules, but happily no-one needed a reprimand.
pillow, unless they expressly invite you to clobber them.The fluffy 'St. Valentine's Day massacre' in San
The only other rules are designed to ensure safety,Francisco involved the total annihilation of one thousand
including not loading your pillow with anything other thanpillows, but unlike its infamous Chicago namesake there
feathers and not striking anyone with a pillow who is inwere no deaths or even minor injuries! Everyone who
possession of a camera and taking a picture. Like Fightparticipated had fun, whacked and got whacked and
Club the significantly safer Pillow Fight Club is designedthen slipped off into the night leaving behind a scene of
to release pent up anger in a regulated environment,utter feather devastation. One happy participant totally
but unlike the violence of the movie no blood is spilledsummed up the event when she said: "No injuries, no
as the aggressive pillow whacking soon transcendscops and lots of fun and feathers!
into laughter and mirth.