'Their imaginations just go so wild': Zombie Walk returns to Regina this weekend

The streets of downtown Regina may look a little spooky this weekend, as fans of the undead will take part in the return of the Zombie Walk.

After the pandemic and other factors paused the annual event, the organizers are ready to get out the gore and kick the Halloween season off right.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, participants of all ages can register for the free costume contest, which will be held at 2:45 p.m. The walk will then begin at 3:45 p.m.

Rob Folk, one of the organizers, said people have been excited to hear the event is coming back.

“A lot of people are pretty excited to have something to go and do – they've missed having the event. It is something that has really fallen off from the popularity it once had,” he said.

Although not consecutively, this year marks the 12th year the walk has been held. Folk said the route for the walk will be a little different due to the recent fire near City Square Plaza.

“Everything is now held right in the middle of Victoria Park, that's our start point,” he said. “Unfortunately we lose the one alley right beside that building that caught fire because that was a nice alley that we chose for photography.”

Folk said he went to his first Zombie Walk in 2012, and then became friends with the previous organizers, moving into the role himself in 2016.

In that time, he said he has seen no shortage of interesting costumes throughout the years.

“One year, there was a zombie Santa Claus,” he said. “The ones where the babies are involved, whether they're kind of being born in that way from the parents. Those are always interesting to see what some of the mothers out there come up with for a zombie … Some of these participants, their imaginations just go so wild.”

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That’s not even close to the full extent of creativity on display, according to Folk.

“Of course, the cosplay culture … just taking your characters and turning those into a zombie whether it's going to be Captain America, Spider Man or Wonder Woman,” he explained. “All those kinds of things are good to see and it's easier to maybe be in character if you're used to dressing up as that character.”

Folk said the organizers dress up every year as well, and were recently at Sask. Expo to advertise their event.

Rob Folk, one of the organizers of Regina's Zombie Walk, dressed up as a zombie football player at their booth at the Sask. Expo. (Photo supplied by Rob Folk)

“With Sask. Expo, I did a zombie storm trooper and zombie football player,” he said.

As for lucky number 13 next year, Folk said organizers will plan something cool.

“We’ve got all next year to come up with something for that one,” he said.