A zombie flash mob extravaganza

Ever since I saw the YouTube video of people randomly dancing to The Sound of Music soundtrack in a train station, I have been hooked on the concept of flash mobs.

There is something about a group of people getting together and performing for strangers that I find fantastic. I also have the same attitude towards bridal parties that break into dance at various times during their wedding-day activities. My love of flash mobs is so serious that I even included one as part of a recent PR proposal for Winnipeg Harvest. But despite my obsession with random acts of dancing, I haven’t personally taken part in a flash mob until I joined hundreds of other Winnipeggers on the Zombie Walk this past Saturday evening.

Now, it isn’t technically a real flash mob, but I’m pretty sure “flash mob” is a loose definition. There don’t seem to be a lot of rules when it comes to spontaneously breaking into dance, song, or other activity.

We all gathered in an alleyway behind The Royal Albert at around 8 p.m. on October 23, and listened as a group of people gave speeches and pumped us up from a series of fire escapes snaking up the side of one of the buildings. The most popular chant was “brains” by far, although I prefer “uuurrrggghhh” myself. There were death-related signs everywhere, and a live band was playing in the back.

In our group of three, I had the least interesting costume. Deciding at the last minute to purchase a trench coat from Value Village – because for some reason I felt that would make me look “scarier” – I think I was a goth/vampire who was having an identity crisis by thinking she was a zombie. My boyfriend – the ever-industrious costume creator – went as a zombie cow (or mad cow, whichever you prefer). Tiffany, in true Star Trek blogger style, went as a zombie Vulcan complete with utility belt, communicator, and phaser. Both their costumes were so fantastic that everyone wanted pictures of them. Thus, I became popular by association.

(P.S. When I just wrote “Vulcan” in Microsoft Word, spell check automatically capitalized the word. That’s how far the reach of Star Trek has gone. “Vulcan” is officially a proper name.)

Walking down Portage Avenue with a massive line of people “in character” as zombies is an experience I will never forget. My mind flashed back to psychology class in first-year university, and for some reason the definition of “groupthink” popped into my head:

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that can occur in groups of people. Rather than critically evaluating information, the group members begin to form quick opinions that match the group consensus. Groupthink is sometimes positive but is more often seen in a negative light. Mass hysteria can be seen as an extreme example of groupthink.

Winnipeg Police were directing traffic and shutting down side streets as we walked, and I found out later that this wasn’t initially planned. They thought we were having a rally behind The Albert, and didn’t actually know the Zombie Walk was taking place until our line of people stretched from the starting point to the MTS Centre. I felt bad because we were cutting off cars and walking through green lights, but most people stuck in traffic seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Overall, the Zombie Walk was fantastic. I will attend again next year, and I am so excited that my first flash mob experience was with hundreds of other Winnipeggers who understand the importance of zombie culture.

If you want to read the Winnipeg Free Press article about the walk, click here.

Die long and prosper... Happy Halloween.