Zombie leader Bonnie McLean poses for a photo during the 13th annual zombie walk in Kamloops, Oct. 27, 2018.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - A hoard of zombies came marching through downtown Kamloops today.

For the past 13 years local dancer and entertainer, Bonnie McLean, has lead the Kamloops Zombie Walk.

“It started because I heard other cities were doing it and I thought ‘Yeah I wanna be in a zombie walk,’” McLean says.

She says the first walk was her and “five or six friends just wandering around.” Then it started to grow, and McLean estimates there were up to 70 to 75 zombies marching at its peak.

This year the zombie hoard was relatively small at about 10 to 15 zombies, but McLean says she likes it that way as too many can be difficult to coordinate. For McLean it’s not about organizing a large parade, the fun of zombie walk is bringing “spontaneous community theatre” to the streets.

“I like that getting people out to doing fantastic costumes and participating in guerrilla theatre."

Those who walked down Victoria Street or sipped espresso in Zack’s Coffee today around 2:30 p.m. would have seen the zombie mob moaning, growling and dragging their feet down the sidewalk.

Dogs barked. Kids hid behind their laughing parents. There were two dance performances, a couple of zombie hunters and a growling contest. Zombies were then invited for drinks in costume at Red Collar Brewing Company.

McLean says the after party is the time she gets to meet the people who participate in the walk, often it is the only time of year she gets to see her fellow zombie enthusiasts.

"If they don't come out for a drink afterwards I don't talk to them,” she says. “I don't know their names and I wouldn't recognize them if I saw them in the street because they did great makeup right?”

Bonnie McLean the "zombie leader" gets the crowd chanting, "All zombies are beautiful" outside of Blendz Coffee.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

This costume looks like a zombie carrying its head on a silver platter. He was one of the zombies that could be seen dancing outside of the Blendz Coffee on Victoria Street.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

Isabella "Bella" MacDougall, 11, wears a "Demogorgon" mask inspired by the monster from Netflix series, "Stranger Things." Her and her mom worked on their costumes together and drove to Kamloops from Barrier for the zombie walk.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

Two people in a car are surrounded by zombies crossing the street.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

A couple of patrons at Zack's Coffee take a picture of a mummy-inspired zombie staring at them through the window.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

Jessica Gunnlaugson shields 10-year-old Jasmira Hasler from zombie Kelly Glanzer. This is Glanzer's first time participating in the walk, but has been a long-time zombie fan.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

It's time for zombies to come up and give the audience their best groan. Una Connor (centre) takes a turn. Connor is a Kamloops artist and has been doing the zombie walk for about five years. She spent about four hours putting her costume together for today's walk.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

Chevonne Oginski and her son Owen, 3, crashed the march dressed as zombie hunters. Chevonne holds Owen as he watches Una Connor walk by in costume.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

To contact a reporter for this story, email Shelby Thevenot or call (250) 819-6089 or email the editor You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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