Dallas Yell Club draws hundreds of strangers to Trammell Crow Park to scream together

Shiloh Bellinghausen wondered if he could get 50 strangers to meet in Dallas for one simple reason: to yell. On Sunday, Sept. 27, the grassy slope at Trammell Crow Park filled with families, children and strangers looking out at the Dallas skyline. They waited for a countdown, then let out one long scream together.

Bellinghausen, 30, first floated the idea on his personal TikTok account. When people responded, he started a Dallas Yell Club page on Sept. 20 and posted an official invitation. "So many people were interested," he told The Dallas Morning News. Bellinghausen estimates 300 to 400 people came to the first gathering. KERA counted about 200. Either way, the crowd was far bigger than he expected. KERA reported that Bellinghausen and his wife, Kirsten, organized the event within a week. He had been thinking about the idea for years and decided to share it after a hard summer.

The crowd covered a wide range of ages. Teachers told Bellinghausen they heard about the event from their students, and parents brought their kids. Afterward, some people told him they had been carrying stress, grief and other heavy experiences. KERA spoke with Emily White, a 38-year-old Dallas resident who found the event on Instagram. "I'm just a girl that needed a good yell," she said. Bellinghausen told Axios the club is "free therapy." He said everyone has a reason to yell, whether they're stressed at work or excited about life.

The next gathering is set for 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at Trammell Crow Park, 3700 Sylvan Ave. It's open to all ages, and nobody has to yell. Bellinghausen said people are welcome to just watch, listen or hang out. He hopes to hold gatherings every two weeks and posts updates on the Dallas Yell Club's social media pages.

This story is based on original reporting by The Dallas Morning News, with additional reporting from KERA and Axios Dallas.