>>EVENT PREVIEW
FIRST ANNUAL CALGARY ZOMBIE WALK
Saturday, October 15
Olympic Plaza
Some families post emergency numbers on their fridges, keep flares in their cars or map out fire safety drills – mine strategize zombie escape routes. Nothing fancy, just your run-of-the-mill zombie survival training, like how one would rappel down a 12-storey apartment building, construct an armoured vehicle out of a school bus or locate shotgun ammo. Also on the list – finding a rogue alcoholic, sexually charged teenager and a chainsaw.
There’s something about the undead that makes people feel alive. Maybe it’s the widespread panic or apocalyptic fantasies about being the last person on Earth, but zombies stir up our most primal need for survival and our desire for individuality at all costs.
However, there are zombie sympathizers among us who feel the need not only to honour those who would gladly gnaw on our skulls and suck out our brains, but to parade down the street, dragging their lifeless feet behind them in tribute. If organizer Chris Carolan has his way, our city will soon resemble the Land of the Dead with the first annual Calgary Zombie Walk.
CJSW 90.9 FM listeners may already be familiar with Carolan’s industrial, Goth and punk radio show, called Dead Air with DJ Chris Parasyte (heard Tuesdays at midnight). He also happens to be the brraaaiiinns behind the Zombie Walk.
Carolan first got the idea for the walk after hearing about a similar event in Vancouver, and he posted it on his live journal – the word spread across the Internet faster than a zombie uprising. He says the response has been overwhelming.
"It’s been really surprising. I only posted the information about it in three places. I put it on my live journal, the Spooky Calgary live journal community and the Dark Alberta Website," he explains. "But now it’s showing up on message boards and other live journals and people have been contacting me about it. It’s actually been really simple to organize. All I did was put the date and the meeting place out there and it’s all really self-perpetuating and spreading itself."
Participating Calgarians are asked to dress in their zombie best and meet downtown on Saturday at Olympic Plaza. The group will assemble at 3 p.m. and walk down Stephen Avenue to Eighth Street S.W. before heading towards 17th Avenue.
The walk is open to anyone with a flair for the macabre and a willingness to make a killer costume. Participants are expected to dress the part or risk having their brains removed by a hungry mob. There will also be piñatas, games, food and prizes for the best zombie costume.
"I don’t really have (my costume) solidly nailed down yet," Carolan says thoughtfully. "I might base it off of Shaun of the Dead, with the red tie, white shirt and cricket bat. Then I’m going to get some Plexiglas and cut it up and imbed some shards in my face."
Carolan says the zombie phenomenon has exploded over the last couple of years with the popularity of movies and video games, and while there may be only two types of people in the world – those who kill zombies and those who become them – he thinks the walk will give people the opportunity to be creative and resourceful.
"Value Village is a great place to start. Get some cheap clothes, rub some dirt into them, tear them up," Carolan suggests. "Go down to the grocery store and get some corn syrup and red food colouring. It makes pretty convincing fake blood – it’s sticky but delicious."
Carolan hopes for a large turnout and encourages people to bring along their family and friends. He only asks that participating zombies walk slowly, belt out their best anguished groan, and respect signage and their fellow brethren.
"I’d like people to stay on the sidewalks and obey traffic signals and try their best not to harass the normals," he says with a laugh.
And what about the unlucky zombie who may lose a limb during the procession – is Carolan concerned about littering?
"I’m sure the zombie behind you will come along and pick it up and have a snack on the way," he says.
For more information about the Calgary Zombie Walk or to get some gruesome costume ideas, go to calgaryzombie.com.
Drop dead gorgeous
Zombie tips for the fashion victim
The day of the dead has arrived and you have nothing to wear. What’s a fashion conscious zombie to do?
Transforming yourself into a zombie doesn’t require a lot of brains. In fact, it’s as easy as raiding your kitchen cupboard and heading to the local thrift store for some deadly threads.
First, decide on your stage of decay. Are you a fresh victim or rotting corpse? Once you’ve decided, you must accessorize properly.
Fake blood is easy to make by blending together corn syrup, red food colouring and cornstarch. Feel free to play around with the mixture until you find the right consistency – remember, lumps can double as blood clots.
Entrails can be carried, held, dragged or tucked under a dress shirt for desired effect. Chris Carolan, organizer of the Calgary Zombie Walk, suggests stuffing a pair of pantyhose with sweat socks and dousing it in a bowl of fake blood for instant intestines.
When considering your attire, remember that zombies are required to walk long distances, so comfortable shoes are a must. Get yourself into character by thinking about what your zombie was doing the moment before having its skullcap removed – little costuming details like eyeglasses, a briefcase, homecoming queen sash or hard hat can humanize your zombie and set you apart from the crowd.
Burying your costume in the backyard a week or so beforehand will give your clothing the right amount of discolouration and stench. If you are a zombie that has risen from an ancient grave or family mausoleum, you might want to shred your clothes before burying them, or consider wearing a period costume (civil war soldiers and ’50s pin-ups are personal favourites).
Putting dirt under your fingernails or having clumps of grass in your hair and clothes will make you look like you clawed your way up from the grave. If you are a fresh corpse, rub mud or potting soil into your costume.
There’s nothing funnier than a zombie smoking a cigarette, but if you are a health conscious corpse, might I suggest you invest in some inexpensive yet highly effective props. Zombies like to nosh, so bring along something that you can really sink your teeth into – strawberry fruit leather can pass for human flesh, or consider carrying a plastic head, skull, rubber arm or leg to gnaw on.
A detached nose or hanging skin is also quite effective and can be easily done by making a mixture of liquid latex, oatmeal and Rice Krispies.
Rubber bands can substitute for worms, or white rice for maggots, and are excellent ways to dress up any exit wound. Exposed bone is always a crowd pleaser and can be attached using liquid latex and parts of a cheap plastic skeleton purchased from a local novelty shop.
Lastly, when it comes to transforming oneself into a believable member of the undead, aim for the head. Any good zombie knows the importance of makeup. Start by applying a grey or white basecoat. Accentuate the eyes with dark eyeliner or circles. Oozing wounds require a little more work, but toothpaste can pass as last-minute pus.
Over the years my family has perfected the art of fake blood and brains. In the spirit of the undead, I felt the need to share. Happy grazing.
The Kosloski Family Secret Recipe For Foolproof Fake Blood and Zombie Brains
Brains:
1 large glass pickle jar
cornstarch
hot water
Fill your jar with half hot water and half cornstarch until you have a thick liquid (the consistency of snot). Let cool in fridge. You should end up with a gelatinous solid. Take that clump and run it through an old cheese grater. Mould the shavings with your hands and shape as desired (like a brain snowball). You can mix bits of brain in the fake blood.
Fake Blood:
500 ml plastic container
hot water
cornstarch
red food colouring (large bottle)
dish soap (secret ingredient)
Fill container three-quarters full with hot water. Dissolve a few spoonfuls of cornstarch. Let cool. You’ll end up with a thick liquid. Add a generous squeeze of dish soap (this helps with cleanup). Add food colouring to your liking for desired shade. Pour on self at will.
This will stain the skin and is best suited for your costume only. Anything applied to the face or body should come from a hobby shop, so you don’t look like a serial killer when you go to work come Monday morning. |
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