This is an old page. For this year's walk, see the home page
Toronto Zombiewalk 2005
Well, the weather was foul, but still they came.
When I showed up there were already about 15 zombies ready and raring to go. There was a light drizzle but thankfully not the wind of the day before.With a planned start time of 2pm it became clear that we would be delayed, as by 2 there was a steady stream of the reanimated still coming, and it was not til 2:30 that we everyone had arrived. Estimates ranged from 80-120 zombies, and probably 30 or so spectators/photographers. Following a rousing speech from Joel ("What do we want?"..."BRAAAAAAINSSS"...), the shuffling began.
The residents of Riverdale came to see the undead pass, and some drivers encountered the melee. And then we hit Parliament. The shamble continued, past tea rooms and streetcars, through Allan Gardens until the horde encountered an abandoned building. Rumour spread fast that there may be brains inside, and the zombies clamoured at the boarded up windows for a few minutes before heading to the Ryerson quad.
When we reached Dundas Square, there was, unfortunately, a rally in progress for Mothers against Violence. We were not aware of this event, and obviously would not have gone through Dundas Square had we known, but the DJ for their event managed to lighten the mood by putting on Thriller by Michael Jackson, for a brief happy zombie disco before we made our way to the Eton Centre.
Although the Zombies had begun to fall away at Dundas Square (the planned finish), the centre was invaded, with Zombies taking time to ride the escalators, before heading out to the final resting place at Nathan Phillips Square. A final soggy photoshoot in the pool there signalled the end of the walk and the undead spread through Toronto, to bars and coffee shops to discuss the day.
In all, it was a fantastic day with outstanding turnout. Zombie performance ranged from the subdued to the scary (particularly the bloke who just shouted GRAAaaaaaghh!), and costumes were a beautiful spread with Stewardesses, Army, Doctors and one in a Straitjacket.
To see pictures, try the Photos page, or for a mass of images, the Flickr images.
If you were a zombie, see you next year. If you weren't, see you next year :-)
Spread The Undead
Toronto Zombiewalk 2005
Starting 2pm, Sunday 23rd October 2005, outside Toronto Necropolis, Riverdale
The time has come for you to shuffle off your mortal coil and join the ranks of the undead.
Rain has not been known to kill zombies, and their motor functions are usually good enough to hold an umbrella. The Undead will Spread come rain or shine.
This is an old page. For this year's walk, see the home page
For the past 2 years, the Sunday before Halloween, Toronto has borne witness to an arrival of the undead. This year, on October 23rd 2005, the Undead will rise again.
Toronto is in many ways Zombie Central. The recent George Romero film 'Land of the Dead' was largely filmed in the GTA. To honour this relation between the Undead and Toronto, there has been a Zombiewalk starting outside the Necropolis for the past 2 years.
This year will be the Third Annual Toronto Zombiewalk, and it promises to have the largest turnout of the Mobile Deceased ever seen in the metropolis.
On Sunday, October 23rd 2005 at 2pm, Zombies of all kinds will gather outside the Necropolis and wend their way around the streets of Toronto, enjoying the
delectation of any brains to which they come in contact.
As the Necropolis is private property, we ask all zombies to respect the site and only meet outside the grounds, at the entrance gate, while waiting to start.
This is a non-commercial event, and anyone who wants to don the mask of the (n)everliving may participate. All that is needed is a desire to resemble the Alternatively Living, a couple of hours, and the rampant need for Braaaains.
We encourage all who wish to participate in this reanimation to do so, and for more details http://www.torontozombiewalk.com has flyers, route maps and more.
May the Dubiously Sentient congregate there, that Toronto may feed their hunger
Spread The Undead!