2010 Shreveport Zombie Walk photo courtesy of www.shreveportzombiewalk.com.
Yesterday at around 4 p.m., an exclamation point and all-caps filled e-mail went out from Michelle McCrary, the self-described “Zombie Queen” of the annual Shreveport Zombie Walk. The e-mail began:
“EXCITING NEWS! This year’s (and from now on) the Shreveport Zombie Walk will be held in Downtown Shreveport! Yes, that is right! The 600 block of Texas Street near McNeil and the Courthouse area will be Shreveport’s Zombie Central on October 8th from 4 – 6 PM!“
If you’re not familiar with the Shreveport Zombie Walk, it’s a canned good and food drive benefiting the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana. Held each year on World Zombie Day (which falls on Saturday, October 8 this year), the event has previously been held at Mall St. Vincent, where upwards of 200 zombies convened to moan, stagger, stare lifelessly into the distance, and donate food to a good cause in 2010. The 2010 event collected over 800 pounds of food.
One aspect of this event that has always impressed me is the extent to which McCrary is capable of inspiring collaboration. This year’s event, for example, is said to include: live music from The Moulin Dudes, “Zombie Crowd Control” by the Twin City Knockers Women’s Roller Derby Team, one or more zombie films screening at The Robinson Film Center (which is located on the block the zombies will be taking over, so they really have no choice but to participate), and more.
One last thought: This year’s Shreveport Zombie Walk falls on the same day as the closing day of the Red River Revel. Anyone else find this combination of events sharing a space possibly really, really interesting?
To learn more about the Shreveport Zombie Walk, visit their website.
