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Native Americans once told of a mysterious natural healing spring in the Arkansas Ozarks. Spanish explorers scoured this area seeking the elusive "Fountain of Youth." And in the 19th century, the town of Eureka Springs with its amazing healing springs grew to be a world-renowned Victorian health resort. From blindness to baldness, from piles to paralysis, the curative power of pure Ozark spring water seemed to know no limits.
But it never raised the dead...UNTIL NOW!
On Nov. 2, the Day of the Dead, Eureka Springs will experience its first annual Zombie Crawl & Day of the Dead Parade. The event is free and open to everyone, with zombie participants being asked to bring two (or more) cans of food to benefit the Flint Street Food Bank.
"The Zombie Crawl is a family-friendly Halloween-themed event and local canned food drive rolled into one," says local event organizer Jeff Danos.
After hosting private Halloween and Zombie costume parties for many years, he and his wife Christina decided to take their spooktacular spectacle to the streets as a benefit for the local food bank.
"With the holidays just around the corner, and the usual winter slow-down, we figured that the timing would be right to infuse the food bank with some additional donations. Other than that, we just thought it would be a fun family event in the typical left-of-center, sort-of kooky Eureka-style."
A creeping parade procession of funeral hearses, doomsday vehicles, and post-mortem street performers will lead the hungry horde of the undead. "When we first brought the idea to the city back in May, we were surprised to find out that we'd need an actual parade permit. At that time, we were just picturing a horde of zombies, slowly walking down Spring Street.
But then we figured that in addition to the Zombie Crawl, we could really make use of that permit by starting things off with a Day of the Dead Parade. So in addition to zombies for the crawl, we are currently seeking zombie-themed vehicles such as hearses and 'bug-out' doomsday vehicles, Halloween floats, 'zombified' marching bands, and 'undead' street performers for the parade."
Several other special events will make this a three day Eureka Springs Zombie Invasion.
On Oct. 31, Halloween Night, a high energy electronic "Dance of the Dead" will be held in the haunted underground level of the City Auditorium, as a benefit for the Flint Street Food Bank.
On Nov. 1, the Sacred Earth Gallery will host a special Zombie Variety Show and night time screening of the classic 1968 film "Night of the Living Dead" on the Southwind Stage.
Additional zombie happenings and contests are being planned. Sponsors are needed.
"Businesses can become sponsors either by donating goods to be used as prizes, or by offering a special discount to our participants. We'll be distributing a sponsor map to all zombie and parade participants so they know where they can get a deal on meals, lodging, and retail purchases."
Zombies are being asked to please pre-register online for the crawl.
For more information, please visit EurekaZombies.com or email info@eurekazombies.com.