It was a normal, sunny Friday afternoon in the sleepy town of Ashland, when the zombies attacked.
The hoard struck during the commute home for the unsuspecting residents of the quiet southern Oregon town.
Pale-faced with dark, sunken eyes and mouths dripping blood, the living dead staggered and loped their way down Siskiyou Boulevard, arms extended in want and lethal desire.
Or so it seemed.
The Zombie Walk was organized by Kevin Knapp, a recent graduate of Southern Oregon University with a degree in Anthropology.
“I asked my friend Jessica if she wanted to watch a zombie movie, and she said if we’re going to do it, do it right,” said Knapp.
The idea blossomed, with Knapp arranging to show “Zombie,” a 1979 Italian film which is a “sort of sequel to ‘Night of the Living Dead,’” according to Knapp. “So we rented the Meese (auditorium) and then decided to do a walk.”
They advertised, in hopes of having people turn out in full zombie regalia and make-up. Knapp even set up a make-up station in the Art building to paint those who showed up unadorned.
After all were properly zombiefied, the walk began around 5 p.m. and consisted of young and old alike. There were families pushing strollers, youngsters held upon shoulders, and even a group of young, zombie-painted girls reaching out their arms and moaning for “brains!”
The march embarked from SOU’s Art building and made its way to Siskiyou Blvd. They then walked to Churchill, crossed the boulevard, and walked back to 7-11.
Inside the convenience store the zombies greeted customers buying miscellaneous items, then made their way back across Siskiyou to the Art building where the film started in the Meese Auditorium.
To see more photos of the Zombie Walk, go to our website at siskiyou.sou.edu.
