I remember it as if it were yesterday. While walking home from the movies, I suddenly heard tormented moaning, loud grunts and some other weird sounds. A little alarmed, I wondered what was happening. As I cautiously continued walking, I did a double-talk when I stumbled upon hundreds of people dressed as zombies walking slowly along Toronto’s College Street. I started laughing as I realized that this was my first glimpse of the city’s annual Zombie Walk! Groups of friends, couples, entire families and even pets come out each and every year to walk through the streets as members of the undead. What a way to embrace the spirit of Halloween!
Via Blogto
A bizarre phenomenon certainly, but one growing in popularity. The very first walk took place in Sacramento, California in 2001 to promote an annual midnight film festival and is still celebrated to this day. Toronto played host to the very non-promotional zombie walk in 2003 which had only six participants. As zombie movies became a Hollywood norm (think Dawn of the Dead and 28 Days Later), walks were soon being held in cities over the world from North America, to Europe and Australia.
Competition is fierce as each city tries to see who can draw the biggest crowds. New Jersey currently has the bragging rights and can boast that they hold the world record for having 4,093 zombies attend their zombie walk in 2010.
These brain-eating types know how to have fun and the events are sometimes set-up as pub-crawls, flash-mobs and more serious performance art projects (like an upcoming walk in Long Beach). Some walks are even organized as charitable events such as the one held in Dublin this past July which raised money for the local cancer society.
Toronto
Nurses and dogs made an appearance in this year’s walk held on Oct 22.
Via Toronto Life
One couple used this year’s zombie walk as a chance to get married in front of a crowd of thousands. This rather unique blood-filled ceremony saw the bride being carried in a coffin down the aisle to meet her undead husband at the alter. Instead of kissing her husband, she bit off a piece of his face!
Zombie Wedding Photos Via Blogto
Brisbane
Brisbane’s walk which took place on Oct 23 was full of “pretty girls” (mean girls?), hippies, and mummies.
Via Philipp Stark
Via RanzzMatazz
Dublin
This zombie walk held in July was set-up to raise cash for the cancer society. There were even more pretty girls and entire families on hand.
Via Shaymurphy
Via YayDotie
Some people go so far as to travel to different cities and countries just so they watch or take part! Check out Crawl of the Dead for a calendar of events from around the world and find out if a zombie walk is taking place at one of your planned holiday destinations.
*post written by Cheryl Howard.
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