Last October my husband and I “survived” our first Zombie Walk (see photos here). I still have nightmares about some of those “undead” people trying to bother me.

On August 25 zombies are taking over Mama’s Hawaiian BBQ (both locations, one in Tucson at 850 E. Speedway Blvd, and the other at 15990 S. Rancho Sahuarita Blvd.,Rancho Sahuarita, AZ). 20% of the proceeds go to help Zombie Walk but don’t forget to moan “Tucson Zombie Walk” when you order the Hawaiian food. Note the times for this offer: 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. (yes, they stay open into the wee witching hours past midnight at the Tucson location!)

As a local Hawaiian I’ve eaten at Mama’s a few times and have enjoyed the Kal-bi ribs, Mahi Mahi, fresh salad with Oriental dressing, etc. Their Big Kahuna Plate (beef teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, kalua pork, 2 scoops rice & mac salad) is some “ono” (delicious in Hawaiian) and plentiful. Just like we like ‘em back home from the lunch wagons.

The zombies are coming this fall. Mark your calendars now for Saturday the 13th of October, when the 7th Annual Zombie Walk takes place along with 2nd Saturday Downtown, 6 to 10:30 p.m. More info at their website:
www.tucsonzombies.com. The theme this year is “The End of the World: How do we go out?”

Sounds pretty scary to me.

What is this fascination with zombies & the UNDEAD? I hear that the Tucson Zombie Walk of gruesome souls hanging around downtown is in its 6th year. For more info about these folks stumbling, shuffling, moaning & groaning, & waking up from the dead, go to www.tucsonzombies.com. Lots of photos of past Zombie Walks on their website.

2011 Theme: Zombies in Spaaaace!
The 6th Annual Tucson Zombie Walk!! With Costume Contest with these categories:
Funniest Zombie
Scariest Zombie
Most Original
Best Kid (Three prizes given)
Best Group
Best Zombie Hunter
Audience Favorite

When: October 22, 2011, Time: 4 p.m. (but wait till it gets dark!)

Where: 101 N. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ

Joel D Valdez Main Branch Library
(Outdoor Event)

Activities Schedule: (Subject to Change!)

2:00 – Vendor Set-up
4:00 – Thriller Dance
4:10 – Repo, the Genetic Opera
4:30 – Magician (TBD)
5:00 – Zombie Variety Show
6:00 – Zombie Hokey-Pokey and Roadkill Chicken Dances
6:10 – Dr. Horribles Sing-a-Long blog
7:00 – Call for Costume Contest
7:15 – “The Cordial Dead” film showing
7:05 – Time Warp Dance
7:10 – Thank Yous, Sponsor recognition, & Safety Talk
7:20 – Top 10 of each category paraded on stage. Winners announced
7:40 – Walk Begins (Audience Favorite as the Grand Marshall)

Don’t Miss This Year’s Event!! And Remember– In Spaaaaace, Nobody can hear you Scream!!

Cost: This is a FREE event, though we ask everyone to please bring
2 items of Non-Perishable Food and/or a Few Dollars of Cash
to fill our donation boxes.

Ironically they are asking for food donations, but my question is: why do the undead need or care about food? Or a “few dollars of cash”? Nice of them to care about those of us still alive I guess.

Hundreds of the undead walked in October, 2010 as shown on this Tucson Zombie Walk YouTube video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2K0AR5gd-U (taken at the 4th Avenue Underpass).

But it sounds like a fantastic, ghoulish event for those who want to dress up as zombies, just before Halloween, El Dia de Los Muertos, and the upcoming All Soul’s Procession.

UPDATE: Read my Happy Halloween blog with a photo gallery from Zombie Walk (click here).