The walking undead are back. They’re hungry and they’re not about to stay six feet under any longer.
St. Albert’s third annual Zombie Walk is about to rise again this coming Friday, Oct. 21 as tattered corpses meet at the traditional clock tower on Perron Street.
Last year 67 zombies lurched, writhed and weaved their way down Perron to the Arden Theatre on St. Anne Street.
“A lot of people came out to watch and cars pulled by to watch. It caught the attention of a lot of people,” says event founder and driving force Sean Bedard.
Once at its final stop at Grandin Theatres, the zombie horde will see a screening of Evil Dead 2, a 1987 horror movie directed by Sam Raimi.
“It’s not really a zombie movie. It’s more about evil spirits possessing people. The main character, no matter how hard he tries, can’t kill them,” Bedard says.
The movie ticket price is $5 and proceeds will go to St. Albert Kinette Christmas Hamper. Last year, the walk collected $260.
A regular improv actor at Alberta Avenue Theatre, Bedard founded the St. Albert event after taking part in the Edmonton’s Halloween Zombie Walk. As an actor, he loved the opportunity to role-play and wanted to share it with his hometown.
Although St. Albert’s first Zombie Walk attracted only a dozen close friends, the second one was real theatrical break-through.
“In the first year, you felt a bit self-conscious,” Bedard said. “But when you act like a zombie with 67 other people, you feel right at home. People were getting in character and they were going up to people and having fun. Everyone was friendly.”
Although Bedard hasn’t picked out his costume yet, he’s mulling over the hipster zombie culture or a Bill Murray costume playing himself in Zombieland.
“If you get in the Halloween mode, it feels like the holiday stretches over a week instead of a day,” he said. “And for me, it’s a chance to look ludicrous. There are lots of people looking for that escape. We don’t often get a chance to dress up and what better time than Halloween.”
Registration is unnecessary. Just meet under the clock tower at 8 p.m.
