Zombies to invade downtown Welland Sunday night
LAURA BARTON
Zombies will be stumbling and shuffling along through the Rose City’s downtown Sunday as the seventh annual Welland Zombie Walk takes place.
James Takeo, one of the organizers, said the family-friendly event typically brings in about 200 to 300 people. Considering how other zombie walks in the region and even in the province have dwindled, he suspects it may be the largest zombie walk in all of Ontario.
Steve Lambert, another organizer, said each year there is a wide range of participants and each year the event grows. He sees it as a great way for kids especially to get another day of use out of their Halloween costumes, in particular baecuase many schools have restricted the kinds of costumes kids can wear.
Although it’s called a zombie walk, people can wear whatever costumes they’d like, however, organizers ask that people leave weapons — even prop weapons — at home.
It’s not just a night to get dressed up and go skulking through the streets, however.Eventorganizersencourage people to bring non-perishable food and pet food donations, which will go to one of three charities this year. In the past, the walk has supported The Hope Centre and this year it is adding Open Arms Mission and Pets Alive Niagara to that list.
The increase in charities being donated to is thanks for Brad Ulch, who has come on board to help out with the walk. Takeo said walk organizers brought Ulch on after seeing his food drive efforts for Welland Float Fest.
Ulch said in addition to the food drive, there is also a raffle for a minifridge. Tickets are $1 each or $5 for 10, with all proceeds going to a meat fund for The Hope Centre.
There will be prizes for costumes in a few different categories, including best group or family costume and best individual costume.
The walk will begin at 6:30 p.m. on at Welland Transit Terminal, head down East Main Street across the bridge before looping back over the Division Street bridge, making the way down to Hellems Avenue and finishing up at the bus terminal. There, costume winners will be picked.
Takeo has put in a request that Main Street Bridge be lit red, purple and green — zombie colours — for the event.