In 2017: The Toronto Zombie Walk starts at Nathan Phillips Square at 3 p.m. on Saturday October 26.
When I attended this parade, it started at Trinity-Bellwoods Park. I went to check out the gathering of zombies, not sure what to expect. My teenager-companions and I had not dressed for the occasion. No problem! People with buckets filled with fake blood were more than happy to spread some (for free) on us with a brush. Then we followed the crowd into the valley we could not see from the street. Wow! That was quite a sight!Of course, the overall panorama will be different at Nathan Phillips Square. A few years ago there were over a thousand zombies in character. And that was BEFORE Walking Dead had such a following.
After a while spent admiring each others' costumes or extreme make-up, everyone were looking forward to walk, interacting with the passersby and the people in the streetcars. We were strolling in a civilized manner (for zombies) on the sidewalks. I don't know if they now block the street for the Zombie Walk around Nathan Phillips Square. The whole thing is hilarious! All the goths in Toronto come to this rendez-vous but there are also participants of all ages, kids and parents, including zombie-mothers with zombie-babies in their strollers. My son and his friend had so much fun they decided to follow the zombies all the way along the 3.5 km route ending at the Bloor Cinema, where those 18 years and older could see the movie Rocky Horror Picture Show. Now that the route is different, the 2-hour parade returns to the Square where more activities await.
With younger kids, you might want to consider the Night of the DreadsÂÂ instead. It's aÂÂ tamer parade around Dufferin Grove Park, also taking place on Saturday October 26, at 6 p.m.
