First, the bad zombie news. Then the good zombie news

Posted on by Rebecca Sulock

The annual Asheville Ashtober Zombie Walk has been postponed until next year, due to a new round of city regulations and fees made necessary by the event’s massive success last year. But never fear (unless you have tasty brains in your head), because other zombie events are still in the works.

Last year’s Zombiewalk had already been planned (it was, after all, part of World Zombie Day) when vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin announced her visit, on the same day. The zombie craze had already been burgeoning in Asheville after a couple of previous zombie walks. But last year saw a surge in the number of zombies moaning and dragging themselves through the streets of Montford and downtown.

Where once the walk had been a few dozen of the dedicated undead, it was now a few hundred.

“We looked down the road on Lexington it was like Cecil DeMille; it was insanity,” says organizer Dan Burrello of the zombie mass. “More and more people joined us as we were walking.”

Burrello is a former parks and rec employee, and he wasn’t entirely surprised when the city dropped the news: Hundreds of zombies need a city permit (and insurance, public safety staff and so forth). “They weren’t unfriendly about it,” Burrello says of city staff’s e-mail.

And he knew the walk was “a little bit huge,” he says. “Zombies are monstrous now, they’re big,” he says, referencing Pride and Prejudice with Zombies, among other cultural phenomenon.

So what’s a hungry brain-crazed member of the undead supposed to do in Asheville this year?

Burrello is planning for Friday, Oct. 16 to be Zombie Day in the city. He’s encouraging folks to “come to work, go eat lunch, go to the ball game, as a zombie,” he says. “To show that zombies can live amongst us peacefully.” There’s also a pub shamble that will start at 9 p.m. at Westville Pub — for which it will be no doubt worth rising from the grave.

For more on Ashtoberfest zombie happenings, check out the MySpace page and on Facebook.

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12 thoughts on “First, the bad zombie news. Then the good zombie news”

  1. Joey macBastard

    we are in talks for a small (or large) gathering on the 16th at the costume shoppe at 243 haywood street.

  2. ashevillelokel

    So a few hundred folks can not just “gather” at once …. what about a “flash mob” which is a popular thing these days

  4. jodokk

    Hi folks, this is Dan Burrello.
    We want to absolutely encourage all fun-oriented, peaceful zombie celebrations this and every year. The costume shoppe and their staff have been staunch supporters of our zombiewalk from the very first one where two-hundred and fifty of us gathered as a flesh-mob(popular these days with the young folk. wink)in 2006. I expected 10 or 20.
    In addition to the above event, we have heard of six or seven other zombie activities around town taking up the slack of our missing events this year. We keep folks posted on myspace.
    This year’s hiatus will make next year so much more fun: Ashtoberfest Zombiewalk, film festival, music festival and writer’s gathering are all family friendly events.
    Thanks!
    Dan

  6. Joey MacBastard

    so it’s on!!! the 10th at Caffiend/The Garage at around 5pm. zombie/horror make-up demos, make-up available for sale, stick around for music! discount on the cover for zombies!

    stay tuned for info on the 16th!

  7. Mister Blister

    Jeez folks don’t get a permit. Permits ARE NOT for zombies. Zombies DO NOT get permits. Thank you.

  8. Mister Blister

    …Just like the famous SantaCon where hundreds of folks dress up like Santa to get drunk and invade shopping malls. Do you think SantaCon would be half as fun with a permit? Heck no!

  9. Joey MacBastard

    yup… it’s now official! “Weenie Roast of the Living Dead”!!! Friday, October 16th, 3pm, The Costume Shoppe at 243 Haywood St. praying for good weather!!! Family friendly food, face painting, makeup demos, and fun fun fun!

  10. jodokk

    We heartily endorse our bastard friend! They have the right idea. Also, remember that the Pub Shamble starts at 9 at the Westville Pub! Be dead, be There!

  11. visiting artist

    Jodokk / Dan Burrello,
    Have you a link for the Asheville zombie event page on Myspace?
    Thank you!

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