MOOSE JAW — The undead zombie hordes will soon descend on Moose Jaw looking to devour the fleshing of the living, so it will be up to English and French residents to work together to survive.
The Association Communautaire Fransaskoise de Moose Jaw (ACFMJ) is holding its annual Zombie Run on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Wakamow Valley’s Connor Park, with participants to meet at the pavilion.
“L’humanité a besoin de vous,” proclaims the event poster — The human race needs you. The theme of the event is that the humans are racing for a cure through a crowd of ravenous zombies.
The association holds this event because it’s a fun way to celebrate Halloween before it happens, while it also brings together the community to socialize for a few hours, said ACFMJ treasurer Jeannine Dhesi.
Runners will be given a belt or sash to wear at their waists. As they run, the zombies try to take that belt. This makes the zombie run, luckily, more flag football and less tackling CFL-style. Participants who manage to keep their belts win — and save humanity in the process.
The ACFMJ expects to have 13 zombies running around the area chasing after people, while it also expects more than 45 humans to attend and play — similar to last year’s numbers, said Dhesi.
The run is notoriously entertaining. Many people show up dressed in costumes, including a community cosplay group with elaborate Resident Evil-themed outfits. This contributes to the role-playing aspect of the event.
Post-run, everyone will gather for photos, poutine, and a drink.
Laughing, Dhesi said she has participated in the run and found it to be incredibly fun. She noted that besides having more participants this year, the ACFMJ hopes to have more volunteers as well to provide medical assistance should the living or the dead injure themselves while running around.
As for those pesky zombies, Dhesi said they look incredibly life-like because there is sometimes a professional artist who puts them together. She recalled that during past events, some non-participants who travelled through the area were frightened by the zombies they saw hiding in the bushes.
“So it’s really like a true zombie, with fake blood (and) with fake wounds. It’s really well done,” she said.
Dhesi added that Moose Javians should attend the Zombie Run because it’s a fun activity that celebrates the community, while people can bond over drinks or poutine while having enjoyable conversations and meeting new people.
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